Back to the Future IV
by Avoca Girl
Summary: Six months after Doc's family disappeared in the time machine train Marty is left in Hill Valley with post traumatic stress. Just when things seem at their worse an old relation of Emmet Brown's shows up to help just when Marty needs HER most.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE – BACK TO THE FUTURE PART IV

It had been six months since Marty parted ways with Doc on that stretch of train tracks leading to the sky. Marty still had the night terrors waking him in a cold sweat, silent tears staining his cheeks. Jennifer could only put up with so much, but she was eighteen, she wanted to have fun, not a boyfriend who had post-traumatic stress regarding an incident she was still half convinced was just a vivid dream. Marty hid his condition well, he knew if his parents found out they would want him to get psychiatric care. What was Marty supposed to say? As Doc would say, "Tell them we are time traveler's, they'll have us committed." Oh how he missed his best friend. Marty laid in his bed as the rain lightly pattered against his window. Another terror had just woken him from his slumber. It was always the same, the Delorean careening into the ravine with the train still attached, Doc and Clara are stuck on the locomotive, and all three no chance of escaping.

It was summer vacation in Hill Valley, a vacation before college. College, somehow had eluded Marty. He didn't feel ready, or connected. He had taken to spending most of his time in Doc's lab. At first he would come once a week, just to make sure nothing was stolen. The valuable parts of the time machine were recovered after the wreck, the time circuits, flux capacitor, all laid in a heap on the floor. Marty would nudge them with his Nike dressed foot, and look at the photo on the wall of him and Doc in 1885 in front of the clock. He would mutter to himself and leave. It took a whole month of this routine before Marty found himself putting knick knacks on shelves, dusting, and finally giving what was left of the Delorean a respectful home.

Life in the McFly house had become crowded. Linda had her new boyfriend living with them, Lorraine and George were constantly entertaining guests from the Country Club now that his father was a literary success, and Marty felt like he had disappeared into the background, so it wasn't surprising when Marty first slept at the lab no one noticed he was gone. By the end of the month he had completely moved in. He made an area for a bedroom, there was a working kitchen, and he even had a place to practice guitar. He never told his parents that he left, but he knew they figured it out when they stopped by one day after seeing his truck in the drive, and didn't think to ask him when he was coming home. Marty explained he wanted to spend the summer there, and shortly after collected the rest of his belongings from the McFly house. At least he could have his night terrors in peace.

A bowl of mac and cheese in his lap, Marty kicked back and watched a little TV. He stretched and yawned as he drank a Pepsi Free. It had continued to rain well into the day, and was almost cold for California. He wrapped a blanket around himself and started to close his eyes. A light rapping sound aroused him. Cautiously he walked to the door and opened it just a crack. A woman in a trench coat stood on the door step. She wore skinny jeans and a pale pink sweater. Her blonde hair was soaking but her eyes sparkled the clearest blue.

"Can I help you?" asked Marty, knowing even if she was a raving beauty anyone who was looking for the Doc was also looking for trouble, which was the last thing Marty needed right now.  
"I'm looking for Doctor Emmet Brown."  
"Yeah you and a lot of people lady."  
"Excuse me?"  
"Nothing, what is the nature of your business?"  
"Well it's a bit personal."  
"I see."  
"Are you Marty?"  
"Maybe."  
"Marty my name is Laura Brown, I'm a distant relation, and I am looking for Doc, can you help me?"

There was something about her, something about the way she said "Doc." Marty wanted to help, he really did. He scanned her closely for any resemblance to Doc, but he couldn't see one. She was fair skinned, blonde hair, blue eyes, she didn't look like Doc or Clara, and still something told him to trust her. He put his hand to his head as he leaned against the door jam. Suddenly he felt like George McFly from 1955 and immediately straightened up.

"Please come in."

Marty ushered Laura past the kitchen area and motioned for her to sit on the old sofa next to his chair. He brought her a towel for her hair, and watched as she rang out the droplets of rain.

"My apologies for letting you stay out there but if you are truly related to Doc you will know I have to be on my guard."  
"I understand completely."  
"You will also know I don't have the answers to everything, my current situation is a bit strained." Marty said weakly thinking about all those sleepless nights.  
"You are living here now?"  
"Yes I moved in at the beginning of the summer, I needed some time to ... think."  
"Marty I understand," Laura said holding Marty's hand warm against her chilled skin, "I am the granddaughter of Verne Brown, and my father was named Daniel. Do you understand?"  
"You're the Doc's great granddaughter."  
"That's right, and it has taken me ages to track you down, I have been here for the better part of six months."  
"Hill Valley isn't that big of a town, I'm not that hard to find, my family is in the phone book."  
"Yes this is true, however I felt it best to give you some space. I have been observing you at a distance. I was concerned for your safety. I did not want to confront you right away with this information, but now that I see you are on your own I thought this would be a good time."  
"I don't know where Doc is, and I don't have a time machine to bring him back." Marty barked.  
"I have been waiting awhile for his return, I can wait a little longer," she said releasing his hand and lying back against the couch.  
"You and me both."  
"You were his best friend, he will come back for you."  
"I sometimes wonder, how you did you know about me anyway?"  
"Family history, you are a legend, mind you I thought a lot of it was fantasy, Grandpa Verne always liked his tall tales, but then one day after I had been in college a couple years I thought, would it really be any harm to look you up and see? I found out I had the years timed just right, and I was here when the train hit the Delorean and when Doc arrived the last time."  
"Why didn't you make yourself known then?"  
"I had to let those events happen just as they were told to me, I couldn't interfere. It was hard but I figured if it was true, then I needed to let the time line play itself out."

"You sure sound like the Doc."  
"I will take that as a compliment," she smiled.  
"But the future can change?"

"Yes it can, but the past cannot."  
"But it was the present when you witnessed it."  
"True but it was already my grandfather's past."

Marty stared at her perfect features as she explained time travel and causally as though it were second nature. A huge part of him missed this, to be able to talk about the strange and fantasy as if it were normal. He wanted to hold her but something told him not to approach her too quickly. They continued to talk well into the night. He found out Laura had grown up in New York. She had gone to University and had a bachelor's in Metaphysics. She never wanted to become a doctor, and only pursued science in a hope to better understand her great grandfather's work. Her real passion was art, and at twenty two she had become quite accomplished. Marty was fascinated at the way she carried herself.

The sun started to creep over the edge of Hill Valley, Laura had crashed against Marty's shoulder. They sat together under a blanket, while Marty fought to stay awake, for fear another night terror would grip him. He smiled, he missed that form of human contact, it was worth sacrificing a night's sleep for. The innocence before things would get complicated. Laura stirred in his arms.

"Oh my, is it morning?" she gasped.  
"I'm sorry, I should have woken you but you seemed exhausted."  
"I guess I was, I usually don't trust strangers enough to sleep in their homes, but I guess you aren't really a stranger are you?"  
"I suppose not." Marty smiled brushing a loose piece of hair off of her cheek.  
"I really should go," she said appearing not to have noticed his contact.  
"Where are you staying?"  
"I am renting a house."  
Marty nodded.  
"Look Marty, I want to see more of you, I want to talk to you about your experiences, would you be interested in joining me for dinner tonight?"  
"Only if I can take you out."  
"Marty, it is only fair for you to know," Laura said sitting up placing her hands in her lap, "Emmet had a lot of investments, he was a very wealthy man and his kids were smart, we parlayed that money and I am independently wealthy. I am also the last of the line, Marty, I will buy dinner."

He walked her to the door, she smiled pretending not to notice the bags under his eyes. She reached out and touched the side of his face, instinctively he pressed back against her hand.

"Get some sleep, kid." she laughed.

Marty frowned at being called "kid." He would prove to her who was a kid. He reached down and grabbed her hand pulling her forward by just one step and he kissed her. She pulled back at first, but found herself drawn to him, her fingers brushing against the collar of his t-shirt.

"I usually don't let people do that," she smiled weakly.  
"I'm sorry I usually don't do things like that."  
She nodded, "Well I better be off, and I will pick you up at eight."

Marty's eyes followed down the direction of the street where a shiny unmodified Delorean sat at the curb.

"Yours?" he said in disbelief.  
"It's not a time machine, but yes its mine."  
"You can pay, but you have to let me drive."  
"Deal," she smiled again, quietly she turned and walked to the street.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO - THE FIRST DATE

At 7:55 PM Laura appeared at the front door to the lab. Her black dress clung her body seductively as her hair was piled neatly in an up do bun. She wrapped lightly on the door. Marty opened the door a crack, still suspicious, then slowly pulled the door open wider, paranoia of allowing intruders in still gripped him. He stood back in jeans, his Nikes, a white t-shirt and a black sports coat.

"I feel I am underdressed," Marty smirked.

"You look wonderful."

"You look amazing."

"Come on, let's go my handsome man." Laura winked as she handed Marty the keys to the Delorean.

Seated over dinner the two of them continued to learn more about each other. Marty watched Laura closely as she spoke, ate her food, played with her hair. She sipped a glass of wine gingerly and nodded to the waiter to pour one for Marty. At first he was uncomfortable with all of this, he wasn't a drinker and wine in a restaurant was never something he had dared. With Jennifer it had always been Pepsis and pizza, with Laura it was red wine and lobster. After he second glass of wine he felt himself flush. When they went to leave he found he wobbled a little, and when she handed him the keys he awkwardly declined.

Laura hopped in behind the wheel, "Do you want to go home with me Marty?" she asked him earnestly.

"No, I mean, well not no, I mean I want to but…"  
"I understand, maybe I was moving a little too fast, blame it on the wine." Laura said dismissively.  
"It's not that, it is complicated, I just, I don't sleep well." Marty stuttered.

"Who said anything about sleeping?" Laura said turning to face Marty straight on.

"Oh man, Laura," he said finding the wine loosening his words, "Laura I have bad dreams, they are vivid and sometimes I don't sleep well, it's a little embarrassing."

"That explains why you looked so tired this morning, you didn't sleep all night did you?"

"No, I didn't want to have one while you were here."

"A dream?"

Marty nodded.

"Do you want to tell me about them?"

"I really don't think I'm ready for that, when I am I will let you know."  
"Fair enough McFly, back to the lab?"

"Back to the lab."

Marty held Laura's hand as they traveled down the street. He ran his thumb gently over the recesses of the back of her hand. He was so focused, it took him a minute to realize they were already outside the garage door of Doc's lab and had been parking for several minutes.

"Do you want me to come in? See you to the door? Tuck you in?" Laura giggled.

"I wish you could."

"Nothing is stopping me, at least on my end."

"What if I fall asleep?"

"Then you fall asleep, Marty I won't make fun of you, I care about you, you have to see that."

"I only met you yesterday. I am still not sure what I am seeing, sometimes I think my life may be one terribly long delusion."

"Does this fee like a dream?" Laura asked kissing Marty quickly.

"No it feels real, you feel real," Marty said stroking her face.

"I trust you, I would trust you with my life. Do you trust me?"

"Are you coming inside?" Marty asked swinging open the door.

Marty closed the door behind Laura and walked briskly towards her. He slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him. He kissed her gently before walking her back to where his bed was. He felt confident, the wine pushing away sense of doubt. She tasted good, soft and sweet. His hands ran down the back of the little black dress until they found a zipper sliding the garment to the floor.

Marty laid his head against Laura's bare breast, he breathing had become shallow. She ran her fingers through his hair. He was an excellent lover, especially for his age. She thought about how young he was yet Laura hadn't connected to anyone like this in her whole life. What would her great grandfather think of her now, and his best friend? Laura laid there dreamily, her eyes half closed hoping somewhere out there Doc would be proud of her and accepting.

Suddenly Laura felt a trickle, almost like that of a bead of sweat, run down her breast, and then another, followed by many more. Marty trembled in his sleep. She looked down into his closed eyes and saw the tears flow as he cried in silence. This is what he meant, this is what he was afraid she would see. She knew she needed to be delicate here, he couldn't feel bad about what was happening. He couldn't help it, he looked so vulnerable.

Laura took Marty's face and slid it down into the crook of her arm. She turned his tear stained face towards her and she kissed his tears. Each one as it fell wetting her lips. She pressed her lips to his and pecked lightly until his body responded to hers. As the warmth of his mouth explored hers his eyes opened. The whites of his eyes shone brightly in the dark.

"It happened didn't it?"

"What Marty?"

"The dreams."

"Yes, I think so."

"I'm sorry."

"You have no reason to be sorry Marty."

"This is so hard for me, I know I am messed up, and … and…" Marty couldn't finish his sentence as tears streamed down his face no longer silently, he shook with frustration and for the first time in months he finally broke down and cried.

Marty cried for Doc, for Jennifer, for everything he had gained, and everything he lost. He cried over the estranged relationship with his family, his friends. He cried for every time Needles bullied him, every time Strickland called him a slacker, every time he had almost died in the name of science. Laura grabbed Marty and held him to her. She rocked him back and forth like a small child, his naked body clutched against hers. He held her delicate form in his strong arms. He had never done this before, he did trust her. In fact, if it were possible, he feared, he loved her.

"Marty, Doc wouldn't want you living like this in pain. He would want you to be happy, to move on with your life, our lives." Laura whispered as she cradled Marty in her arms.

"Our lives?"

"If you want."

"You aren't scared of me."  
"Marty, why would you think such a thing?"

"Because Jennifer…"  
"Marty I am not Jennifer, I am a Brown, we are made of tougher stuff than this. Maybe I should wear you out again to get you to sleep." Laura smiled coyly.

"Worth a try!" Marty smiled with exuberance as he rolled her naked body onto her back and kissed her passionately.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE – THE LETTER

Laura stood at the kitchen counter. One of Marty's demo tapes blasted in the background as Laura rocked back in forth her bare feet on the concrete floor, her hips hugged by leggings and her torso draped in a long off the shoulder t-shirt.

Laura was dating Marty for less than a month when she had decided to give up her rental and move in to the lab. There was something about living there with Marty that seemed to bring them all a little closer to the elusive Doc Brown. Over the course of the first month Laura had felt inspired to paint again, Marty got back together with his band who were producing demo tapes, and even the night terrors had all but calmed themselves into submission. Marty started to develop a healthy glow to his skin and the bags disappeared from his eyes. He smiled again, and when he would come home and smile Laura felt as though she could burst inside. The fall came, and Marty still had not enrolled in a college. While Laura loved having Marty around all the time she still worried about his future, however she would never push him. He will come around in his own time she had hoped. In the meantime she financially supported them both, she had all the money a person could need, but until now she didn't realize what she was missing, a Marty McFly and he was priceless.

Laura danced as she chopped peppers for her fajitas. Marty came in the side door and slipped up behind her. He placed his hands on her hips and danced with her kissing the nape of her neck.

"Must you listen to this?" he smiled secretly proud of his work.

"It inspires me."

"Hmm and you inspire me," he murmured in her hair.

"Shew! Go on you! I am making dinner, scat!"

"Did you get the mail?"

"Yes darling it's over there," she said pointing to a stack on the table.

Marty walked over and started sorting through the envelopes.

"I am wondering what we should do with my condo in New York, it is looking like I won't be returning any time soon, not that I am complaining, and well the extra cash renting it out could be nice," Laura rambled mindlessly, "hey Marty, don't forget tomorrow is the 26th, my birthday, we have a reservation at eight at La Valle's. Little bubbly, little surf and turf…"

"Laura?"

"Doesn't it sound great?  
"Laura?"

"Unless you have decided on something else?"

"Laura are you listening to me?"

"Yes honey," she turned and smiled.

"Did you see this mail?"

"Oh you know me, I have no patience for mail, just tell me how much the water bill is and I'll pay it," she smiled again turning back to the food on the stove.

"It's not a utility bill."

"Oh?" she said turning around.

"We might want to cancel that dinner reservation."

"What are you on about?"

"You better come here."

Laura wiped her hands on a towel and walked carefully over to Marty.

"You look like you have seen a ghost Marty, what is this all about?"

Marty handed her the opened letter.

 _October 26_ _th_ _, 1986_

 _1:15 AM_

 _Lone Pine Mall_

 _Be There_

"Is this a joke?" she asked.

"I don't know how it could be, you and I are the only ones who know the truth."

"Well you and I and Jennifer Parker."

"Jennifer has convinced herself none of this happened."

"Do you think it is the Doc?"

"It might be."

"And on my birthday," Laura smiled, "Oh Doc, so you've finally come home to us." Laura clutched the letter tightly.

Marty stood staring out of one of the small windows. He felt conflicted. Why did Doc have to come now, after he found Laura and things were so good, why now? He looked at his beautiful girlfriend all full of hope and smiles. He loved her, and he would do anything for her to ensure her happiness.

"Don't you think this is all a little strange?" Marty sighed.

"Strange how?"

"Your birthday falling the same day as my travel date?"

"No different than Biff choosing November 12th, 1955, you know I have worked in my spare time to see if there is a correlation but I just can't figure it out. Can't wait to see if there is a significance to October 21, 2015!" Laura said holding the letter reading it again and again.

Marty stepped back to where their coats hung by the door. He fiddled in the pocket until he found a box having been purchased while he was in town. He cupped the box in his palm and glanced towards his distracted girlfriend as she still chattered away.

"All these months of waiting and now he finally arrives, we should have known it would be tomorrow, it is all so obvious now that I can see it clearly."

"Laura I need to talk to you about something rather important."

"What is it Marty?" she turned her face beaming.

"I love you."  
"Well I love you too!" she said leaning in to give him a kiss.

"No," he said pushing her away, "I more than love you, and now that we have found Doc where does that leave us? How long until you are ready to go back to New York?"

"Back to New York? What makes you say such things?"  
"You don't have a life here, I mean apart from me?"  
"Marty haven't you been listening to anything I have said, I was asking how would you feel if I sold my condo in New York, or rented it or whatever, my life is here with you."  
"So you're not going back?"  
"Not unless you are kicking me out?"

"Kick you out?" Marty said dramatically, "I am never going to let you leave!"

Marty scooped Laura up in his arms leaving the box in his coat pocket. Marty nuzzled Laura's neck as he placed her gently on the bed looking into her blue eyes. They would have beautiful children he imagined as he kissed her. She laughed and giggled at his responses before batting him off of her at the smell of burning fajitas.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR - THE MEETING

Heuy Lewis and the News blasted with The Power of Love as the alarm clock switched on. Laura lifted her head and blurrily read the numbers. (12:00 AM) It was going to be a long day. Marty's arm laid casually around her waist. Gently she went to lift his arm as he stirred. He looked up at her and smiled before laying his head of soft brown hair back on the pillow.

"Come on lazy bones, none of that, not today," Laura said ruffling his hair while stifling her own yawns.  
"Ten more minutes?"  
Laura shook her head.  
"Ok fifteen, you stay with me and I don't go back to sleep," Marty smiled coyly raising an eyebrow.  
"No time McFly, we have to get a move on."

Laura shuffled to the kitchen and put on a pot of strong coffee. She walked to a clothing rail and a dresser where she pulled out a few clothing items and started to change. She could hear Marty in the bathroom brushing his teeth. Fully dressed she stood in the doorway watching him with a smile. Toothpaste poured out of the corners of his mouth, his hair still mused from sleep and his t-shirt wrinkled. She mused on how handsome he was and reflected on how great things were since he entered her life.

"What are you staring at?" Marty asked.  
"Hmm? Oh nothing, just thinking."  
"Going a little Ninja are we?" he commented his eyes running the length of her figure.  
"Too much?" she asked looking down at herself in her black leggings, black trainers, and black t-shirt.  
"A bit."  
"I don't want to be seen."  
"It's a Sunday morning in Hill Valley, everyone is either asleep or drunk at this hour, even if they did see us I doubt they would care, remember I have been through this before," he said casually kissing her on the cheek as he passed.

Laura poured the remains of the coffee into a thermos. She locked the door behind her and followed Marty into the truck. Quietly they drove through the darkened streets, her hand on his, letting go only so he could change gears.

"You've been quiet, usually you are a chatterbox, are you ok?" Marty asked as they pulled to a red light, the JC Penny's store anchoring Lone Pine Mall glowed in the distance.  
"Yeah just nervous I guess, meeting the infamous Doc, it's a big deal."  
"It will be ok," Marty said reaching across the truck to give her leg a squeeze.

They pulled into the parking lot and shut out the lights. A few cars littered the area under street lamps but overall it was very quiet. Across the parking lot a man appeared who walked casually towards them. He wore dark brown trousers and cowboy boots, but his trench coat and hat looked like it came from the 1950's.

"Laur, stay in the truck."  
"But Marty."  
"Please Laur, it may not be him, it could be a trap, a lot of people are looking for Doc, apart from protecting him I need to protect you. Just stay here."

Laura shut her passenger side door quietly.

"Be careful Marty."

Marty leaned across the truck to kiss her.

Quietly he shut his own door behind him and walked across the dimly lit parking lot. The man continued to approach this time picking up speed in his gate. A light cast across the side of the man revealing a shock of white hair under his hat. Marty picked up his pace to a jog and ran to the man throwing his arms around his best friend.

"Marty!" Doc exclaimed as only Doc could.  
"Doc, Doc!"  
"Marty, come now you knew I wouldn't leave you behind forever!"  
"It's been almost 9 months Doc."  
"It's been almost 7 years Marty." Doc said sadly.  
"I hate to break up the reunion but does anyone care to introduce me?" Laura said standing a few paces away her arms crossed in front of her torso smirking.

Marty motioned for her to step forward, tears glistened in both the men's eyes.

"Laura, this is, well, the Doc."  
"Marty, that's not Jennifer," Doc whispered from the side of his mouth.  
"Ah no, it's not. A lot has changed since you were away."  
"Plenty of time to discuss all of that, Emmet L Brown at your service miss," Doc smiled warmly extending his hand.  
"Doc, this is my girlfriend Laura, Laura..."  
"Brown," Doc interrupted suddenly.  
"How did you...?" Marty trailed off.  
"You are the spitting image of your grandmother," Doc said more to himself than anyone else.  
"My grandmother? Grandma Greta?" Laura said full of emotion, tears starting to stream down her face as she bashfully tried to wipe them away.  
"Verne, he was your grandfather I presume?"  
"Yes," she nodded.  
"Doc, I still don't understand," Marty stood feeling the outsider.  
"About a month ago a German family moved in down the lane, they have a girl about Verne's age, they have been inseparable. The other day I caught the two of them kissing in the orchard. Laura, you look just like her."  
"Wait Verne has a girlfriend!" Marty exclaimed.  
"He's almost 13, Marty, like I said I've been away a good 7 years on my end."

Doc walked with the two towards the truck and rode with them back to the lab where more coffee was poured over Doc's old kitchen table.

"I like what you have done with the place," Doc smiled, "You're living here now it seems?"  
"We both are," Laura interjected pouring more coffee, and returning back to the stove to start frying eggs.  
"What brings you back Doc?" Marty asked holding his coffee with both hands still getting used to its bitter flavor, it was no Pepsi. How could Laura drink this stuff?  
"Well its Jules, he caught some sort of virus about a month ago, as time goes on he's not getting any better. We talked about the possibility of the plague or an epidemic. I treat the water and do everything I can but sometimes kids get sick."  
"You said Verne is almost 13 how old is Jules now?"  
"Seventeen."  
"Shit! He's almost my age."  
"Tell me about it, at my age being the father of two teenagers. Glad I visited the rejuvenation clinic in 2015 or there was no way I would have lasted this long."  
"Ah come on Doc."  
"Anyway I am here on a mission for antibiotics. I broke into the pharmacy on the town square, I left money, but I took the drugs. I'll need to be getting back soon."  
"And the train?"  
"Parked in the old stock yard at the edge of town, but I will be needing to get back before daylight. Whose Delorean is that in the drive?"  
"Laura's, apparently your investments prove quite well in the future."  
"Are you happy Marty?"  
"I am now."  
"Now?"  
"There was a time where things weren't so great, but Laura found me and that is all that matters now," he smiled looking back at her.  
Doc frowned at the explanation his friend gave him, "Yes, and how did the beautiful Laura find you?"  
"I'm a hopeless stalker," Laura laughed placing breakfast plates in front of her boys. She took a cup of coffee and sat down next to Marty, "The truth is you were always a tall tale. Verne talked of all his adventures but we never really took him seriously. Then about 3 years ago when I was studying Metaphysics in New York at University I started to investigate more about time travel. I did some quick calculations and figured if this Marty McFly really was alive he would have the answers. I set off the California, and I have been here almost a year researching. I arrived only a day before your train disappeared one final time. Marty was with Jennifer, and I watched from the distance. I had to let that event happen undisturbed, that much I knew. I tailed Marty for about six months. Each day he was here at the lab, then one day he didn't leave. It occurred to me he was living here, when I found he had no regular visitors I decided to pay him a visit myself."  
"Marty you needed to be more careful," Doc said knowingly towards Marty.  
"It wasn't his fault," continued Laura, "I made sure I wasn't seen, and even when I did knock on his door he left me standing in the rain a frightfully long time before he would even let me in."

Again Doc glanced at Marty who shrugged while he sunk his teeth into a bite of toast.

"There was a connection that night, I can't explain it, at first I wanted to get my information and get back to New York, but then I wondered if you would actually come back. Marty and I went to dinner the next night to discuss everything, and well we shared a bottle of wine, I came back here with him, and the rest is history. I can't see my life without him now."  
Marty reached across the table and took her hand.

"You said you attended university that makes you about how old now Laura?"  
"Doc!" Marty reprimanded.  
"I'm 23 today."  
"Today?"  
"Yes."  
"You mean you were born October 26th?"  
"Yes."  
"Fascinating," not lingering on the topic long he turned to Marty, "fell for an older woman I see?"  
"Well you know how it goes Doc," he winked towards Laura.

Laura tided up the breakfast plates and slipped her coat on while the boys stood in front of the truck. The sun was just starting to appear in the horizon and Doc needed to return to his own time. Marty drove them out to the old stock yards where the train laid on an abandoned track. The three of them exited the truck and Marty stood awkwardly in front of the door as the stairs unfolded.

"Would you kids like to see inside?" Doc offered.  
"Uh I don't know Doc, this is all kind of surreal," Marty balked.  
"Just one look won't hurt, it's been months since a nightmare," Laura whispered in his ear.

Doc watched the two exchange their conversation privately but hung on the word "nightmare."

"Alright Doc, give us the grand tour." Marty relented.

Doc took Laura's hand pulling her on board while Marty struggled behind her. The magnificence of the train was not lost on them. Doc had completely altered the inside to include sleeping compartments, a kitchen, and indoor plumbing.

"Now this is the way to time travel," Marty gasped.

Laura watched Marty closely. He seemed interested, relaxed, and even happy, maybe this would be ok after all.

As they stood near the doors Marty turned to Doc, "Don't leave it so long next time."  
"You know Marty, you could always come visit?"

Laura's eyes widened.

"Both of you, of course, I need to leave soon, but you are welcome to come with, I'll bring you back at the same time you left, it will be like you were never gone."  
"Doc I..." Marty trailed off.  
"Personally I would love to," Laura said stepping forward, "but, I think Marty and I need a moment in private to talk about it?"  
"Of course, of course," Doc gestured to the back of the car and busied himself with the controls trying not to overhear, too much.

"Laura, time travel is dangerous. In the last year alone I have gotten the shit kicked out of me, been shot at, dove from the roof top of a casino, nearly burned alive in a train crash, literally rode inside basically a nuclear reactor, hijacked a train, was hanged at the end of a noose, have been hit by cars, fell out of a tree, oh and nearly drowned on a Hover board. I don't want you to get hurt, I don't want you to go through what I have been through. You see how it plays with a person's head. I love you, and I can't see this happen to you too," Marty ranted in a strained whisper.  
"I am not going to make you do something you don't want to do, but Marty my life's work has taken me to this moment, I have to see what is on the other side, I have an opportunity to meet my family. Doc was not alive when I was born don't you understand?"  
Marty frowned facing the truth that technically right now Doc had already died, "I am not going to let you do this alone, but Laura what if you are just as fucked up as I am when you get back?"  
"Marty, I am a scientist, but above all I am a Brown, we are strong, I have to do this."  
"Then I have to come with you."

The train rose into the sky, and with a brilliant flash shot off into the distance reaching a speed of 88 miles per hour and disappearing into the early morning of Hill Valley 1986.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE - BACK TO 1885 (OR RATHER 1892)

The train bounced roughly as a brief flash of light temporarily blinded the occupants inside.

"Did we make it?" Marty asked peering out of the windows into the quiet western sky.  
"Did we make it? What do you take me for a hack! I have perfected time travel since the days of the Delorean Marty, give me some credit." Doc winked.

Laura sat back her eyes still closed, she held Marty's hand tightly. She didn't like to fly in a jet let alone a time machine, but this was worth it just to get here.

"Are you ok?" Marty whispered.  
Laura nodded silently.  
"It's just shock," commented Doc, "We'll get you back to the house, get you a nice coffee, and you will feel right as rain."

Doc lowered the train neatly on a stretch of self-built track outside a farm house. For miles another farmstead could not be seen. Hill Valley was way off into this distance. Here doc had the privacy needed to pursue his scientific works. The three of them exited the train where Clara stood waiting in the door way of the house anxiously.

"Clara, we have company, put on a fresh pot of coffee while I take this up to Jules," Doc said bounding through the home like a man of half his years.  
"Marty, so good to see you again, and you have a friend?"  
"Yes ma'am."  
"Please Marty is it Clara."  
"Clara meet Laura."

Clara studied Laura carefully and then smiled politely.

"Do you think she figured it out?" Marty whispered.  
"I'd say so, but she didn't seem pleased about it did she?" Laura whispered back.  
"No, not at all."

"How long will you be staying for?" Clara called over her should as she brought more coffee to the table. Verne was still asleep and Jules was obviously sick in bed.  
"I would say just a few days, this was a last minute trip and we don't want to intrude," Marty said slowly checking Laura for approval.  
"That's right, we really just came to ... to ..." Laura trailed off.  
"Visit the family," Marty finished.  
"And will you be resuming your role as Mr. Eastwood, Marty," Clara smiled warmly.  
"I would prefer to stay out of town if possible."  
"Well that might be difficult, big festival in town tonight and I know Emmet will want you to go."  
"Absolutely!" cried Doc, we will go as a whole family, even Jules if he is better by then, wonderful things modern medicine! Of course, not many people understand courting so I may just tell everyone you two love birds are married, and we will need to get you suitable clothes, but that is easy enough, let me arrange everything!"  
"You're the Doc, Doc."  
"You two must be tired, I will make up the spare room, and you two can catch some rest. I only have a double bed, but I assume that will suit?" Clara asked putting an air behind "double bed."

Laura blushed but Marty seemed oblivious to the delicate situation addressed between females.

Laura shut the bedroom door behind her and pressed herself against it.

"Oh Marty, I feel like I have been up for days."  
"Makes jet lag look like a walk in the park, doesn't it?"  
"Oh you can say that again," Laura said throwing herself on the bed, "how did you cope?"  
"Well looking back on it, adrenaline, I was bashed in the head a lot, or being shot at, or chased, so I can't say this was ever a vacation," Marty said absently touching his head, "Are you glad we came?"  
"Are you?"  
"I only want to be where you are," Marty said burying his head in her hair.  
"Not all the coffee in the world will keep me from a nap now," Laura said settling herself against the pillow.  
Marty looked worried.  
"What's the matter?"  
I don't know if I can sleep."  
"Dreams?"  
He nodded.  
"Come here," Laura said pulling Marty to her.

She propped her head against the backboard of the bed. Marty sighed quietly in her arms.  
"What's wrong?"  
"How much longer can we go on like this?"  
"You are getting better every day Marty, you have to believe in yourself. I believe in you."  
"Do you ever think about our future?"  
"All the time Marty."  
"Do you think about me in your future?"  
"You're all I ever think about Marty."

Marty felt weak having to do this, having to lay in his girlfriend's arms just to keep from being plagued by dreams. He hated it in fact, but Laura was the only thing that seemed to get him through. She was the glue that held his life together, and without her he felt as though he would unravel like an old sweater. Laura never seemed to mind how from the first day he leaned on her, she took it all in stride. She was stronger than Jennifer, she wouldn't walk out and leave him when he needed her. Marty closed his eyes and for just a few hours and had no dreams.

Laura woke long before Marty, and let him continue to rest. She went downstairs where Clara was waiting to help her dress into period costume, or rather every day dress for Clara. Laura emerged in a kelly green dress with a small bustle at the back, trimmed in black lace with matching black button hook shoes. It is amazing how fashion can bring two women together, as Clara and Laura laughed Doc poked his head in the door.

"Are you decent?"  
"Yes Emmet," Clara smiled.  
"I need a word alone with Laura."  
Clara made herself discreet.  
"You look wonderful my dear."  
"What's the matter?" Laura asked reading the concern on Doc's face.  
"Nothing that can't be avoided delicately," he said taking her hand in his, "We have already decided you will be Mrs. Eastwood, and you are old family friends visiting, that much is simple, but your resemblance to your grandmother is uncanny, and after discussing it with Clara we feel you need to keep a reasonable distance from her family, as well as Verne."  
"But he's my grandfather, the whole point of me being here..."  
"I understand your concerns, but we can't risk you doing anything that may jeopardize your own time line, you have to understand."  
"I do, is that all?" Laura said standing to leave.  
"No, I want to talk to you about Marty, I couldn't help but over hear and he is being very secretive, is he ok?"  
"May we go for a walk?"  
"Of course."

When Laura felt she was a reasonable distance from the house, and Marty, she turned to face Doc.

"Marty is not well, I mean it is nothing serious, but it is to him."  
"Great Scott! Why didn't he tell me?"  
"Well I don't want you to take this the wrong way Doc, but it's not like he can just pick up the phone. You have been out of his life the better part of a year!" Laura felt herself get frustrated, "Doc," she sighed, "We are coping."  
"I'm a man of science, tell me the truth what is wrong?"  
"Its dreams, nightmares, and night terrors if you will, they are disturbing and upsetting, and they are about death, about you, your family, our family."  
"I never thought of the psychological repercussions on time travel, this is all my fault," Doc mumbled placing his head in his hands.  
"Listen," Laura said placing a hand on his arm, "This is not your fault, you didn't know, Marty is getting better every day, and he didn't want you to feel bad so you must never mention this to him."  
"He's a good kid Laura, but he is still a kid in many ways. You say you love him, and it's not my place to pry into your personal affairs, but that kid has been a vested interest of mine since he was a child. I don't know if you have met his family but they are a little, shall we say, self-absorbed, Marty was never made a priority. I say this not because I know better but because I want to make sure he is well looked after."  
"I think I understand."  
"You are older, you have different wants, different needs, and how long until running around with a teenager in Hill Valley starts to wear you down?"  
"I don't see him that way."  
"Not now no."  
"Is that why you brought us here, to give me a serious talk on the care of Marty McFly like he is a dog."  
"No, certainly not! I just don't want to see anyone close to me hurt."  
"You sent him to me, through Verne, through Daniel, you sent me to find Marty, and one day when you have given it enough thought you will see that," Laura said turning on her button hooked heel and marching away.

Doc watched as the beautiful woman strode away towards the house. Maybe Clara was right, maybe it had been a bad idea to bring them here.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX - THE TOWN FESTIVAL

As Laura appeared in the front door she was amazed to see Marty standing in a brown suit, a matching hat and cowboy boots. He looked exactly as he had in the picture which hung on their mantel at home, Marty and Doc in front of the clock that would one day be in the Hill Valley Courthouse. She had to stifle a small laugh at how ridiculous he looked.

"Still fits," he smiled holding out his arms to her.  
"Sure does."  
"And let me look at you," he said turning her around, "you are a picture."  
"Thanks," she blushed, "It's a bit warm though, even for October, you wouldn't imagine how many layers of clothes I have on under here."  
"I'd like to find out."  
"Hardly appropriate behavior for a gentleman."  
"We are married."  
"Here only, Mr. Eastwood."  
"Yes ma'am, Mrs. Eastwood," he mocked bowing before pulling her into an embrace and thinking about the box he left behind in his coat pocket and if there would ever be a right time for any of this.

Doc arrived around the corner with a horse and buggy. Doc, Clara, Marty and Laura all climbed aboard. Jules was still in bed resting, and Verne had left early to go with the girl who lived down the road. Marty and Laura did not seem disappointed they hadn't seen Doc and Clara's children. The fact Jules was now almost Marty's age unsettled him mildly. He wasn't sure he was ready for that just yet, after all he had been through at seventeen would he even have anything in common with this kid?

Hill Valley was a blaze of color as the town had decorated to the full extent of its glory. A band played in the distance as couples milled around. Marty found Seamus, Maggie and William off in the distance. He made eye contact with Seamus who waved them over. Marty took Laura's hand and escorted her across the town square. Behind them the court house had a new layer of brick, and the clock was ticking away above.

"Well as I live and breathe, Mr. Eastwood, I thought we would never see you again, in fact there was a rumor you died in a train wreck in the ravine, but a body never was found," Seamus smiled.  
"Ah well you know how people get these things wrong, I was just here visiting, had to go home sometime. Seamus, meet my wife Laura."  
"Pleasure to meet you Mrs. Eastwood, Clint you remember Maggie, and my son Will?"

Maggie came forward, the years had been hard on her, a few more wrinkles on her sun dried face but she smiled. In tow was a seven year old boy who stood shyly at her side.

"Will, this here is Mr. Eastwood, and his wife, he knew you when you were just a tiny thing."  
"Wife! Well I never would have taken you as the marrying kind Mr. Eastwood," Maggie smiled exchanging pleasantries with Laura.

The two women, and Will, walked off to find the refreshments table.

"You know women and their gossip," Seamus elbowed Marty, "So how long you here for?"  
"Oh just a few days, we go back soon."  
"Where are you living?"  
"Up north, Oregon," Marty said quickly hoping his story would match with Laura's.

He caught Laura's eyes a few yards away and mouthed the word "Oregon," subtly she shook her head, and he tried again before Seamus distracted him with another round of questions.

"Still, this will be the last day of fun for a while," Seamus continued as if Marty had never been distracted, "That bastard Bufford Tannen gets out of prison tomorrow, locked up for seven years he was after robbing the Pine City Stage. In fact he was arrested the day you left town remember? The day of the gun fight, you got by lucky on that one eh Eastwood?"  
"Yeah," gulped Marty, "lucky."  
"Still what are the odds of you picking a fight with him again hmm? I mean sure you are keeping company still with the blacksmith fella, but he lives outside of town now, and I will bet Bufford has forgotten all about him, as preoccupied with you he was."  
Marty nodded in response but somehow doubted it.

Maggie returned his "wife" pumped full of local gossip, and the two couples made their way to the dance floor. Clara and Doc were already there and in the corner he saw a still very young Verne with a girl who did have a striking resemblance to Laura. Marty felt warm and uncomfortable. An opening in the group of people appeared and Marty slipped away with Laura at his side. He walked with her to the court house where in one hundred years' time a square would be with trees and cars, kids riding bikes, and officials conducting daily business. He found a boulder and sat down, pulling Laura onto his knee.

"You won't believe the stories Maggie had to tell, all about you, and your gun slinger days, going up against some distant relation of Biff Tannen's!"  
"They weren't stories, they happened less than a year ago."  
"Still you said he was arrested the day you left, so all is well in the world," Laura said trying to sound like Maggie hoping to get a smile out of Marty.  
"Yeah, Seamus told me he gets out of jail tomorrow, after seven years away, he's going to come looking for me Laur, and he is going to look for revenge."  
"It's almost the turn of the century, do people still do that kind of thing?"  
"We are still very much in the old west, martial law is the only law, if he wants me he will find me, and he will use you or Doc to get to me, we need to head back tonight."  
"Oh Marty, we have just started to enjoy ourselves!" she said disappointed.  
"I need to find Doc, we need to go home, and this is what I meant about time travel being dangerous. A person from the future can die in the past, I can't put you at risk."  
"Won't Doc's family be at risk too?"  
"I don't know, I don't know what he has told them, when you do the math it is not adding up, it's not possible for any of us to be where we are or how old we are. I have no idea how long he was traveling before they came back, I mean I have been gone seven years, it has been seven years since Doc last saw me, but the kids, their ages, it doesn't add up, I don't know Laur, maybe he told people they were adopted, I mean people did that a lot in the 1880's right? I'm just not sure that it matters anymore, I just think it would be best to get home, to our own time, where it is safe, and the worst thing we have to worry about are Libyan terrorists," Marty half smiled.

Laura didn't say anything, she sat and looked on at the other couples. Marty laced his fingers in hers and rocked her gently on his knee. Doc and Clara joined him shortly.

On the ride back to the farm everyone was quiet. Laura leaned against Marty, who stared out into the distance. Doc chattered lightly to Clara and to his horses. Laura went inside with Clara, where she immediately put on her black leggings and t-shirt. Marty stopped Doc at the porch taking the corner of his elbow.

"Doc, we need to talk."  
"Yeah, yeah ok. Clara! Marty and I are taking the horses back, we'll be in soon."

When Marty was in the safety of the barn he explained to Doc what he had learned from Seamus.

"Great Scott! Is it possible? What an odd coincidence his release is coordinated with your unplanned arrival?"  
"You are sure you didn't know anything about this?"  
"Marty, please, do you think I would bring you back now if I knew, it would be far too dangerous."  
"We need to leave, as soon as possible, I can't risk another run in with that lunatic, the second he gets his hands on a gun, Doc!" Marty had become hysterical.  
"Calm down, calm down, I will take you back tonight, I just need to make a few preparations."

Marty and Doc walked over to where the train was parked. Doc stopped short and stared at the top of the train which was littered with various gizmos.

"Hand me that ladder there will you Marty!" Doc shouted over his shoulder.

Marty obediently brought the ladder and Doc quickly climbed to the top of the engine.

"Well now how the hell could that have happened?" he muttered to himself. "We must have blown that during re-entry."  
"What? Doc what's wrong?"  
"Well we are missing a conductor, they are replaceable, but like the flux capacitor I need it to activate the time circuits."  
"Well fit a replacement for it Doc!"  
"Marty they are made of solid gold, I will have to wait for the next mail wagon to come through Hill Valley with a bank deposit, and then I need to buy a bar of gold and melt it down."  
"And how long until the mail wagon arrives?"  
"Today is what? Wednesday, there won't be another one to pass through here until next Monday."  
"Monday, Doc! This is heavy, we can't wait around until Monday!"  
"Stay out of sight, a few days will pass quickly."  
"Doc, the whole town knows I am here, someone will tell him!"  
"Don't worry Marty, I will think of something."

Marty walked slowly back to the house, his heart pounded in his ears. He quietly slipped into the house and up the stairs. At the end of the hall was the room where the sick Jules laid in bed. He poked his head in and saw the young man sleeping. His face glistened with sweat, his long battle with fever was soon at an end, and the antibiotics were working. Marty closed the door carefully behind him and looked in at Verne. He too was fast asleep, in his own little world. Marty wanted to be a father one day, and now he didn't know if he would live to the end of the week. Finally he reached his own door, the room was dark, and he could see Laura completely in black sprawled across the top of the bed. A window was open and a fall breeze filled the room. He sat at the edge of the bed and touched the side of her face. He promised to protect her, what had he done?

Laura stirred at his touch and tried to murmur his name. For once he just wanted to comfort her. He took off his suit, his hat and boots, and picked up the t-shirt that laid at the end of the bed. It felt cool, clean and crisp in his hands. He longed for a day where there would be a proper laundromat. He sat again at Laura's side and put his hand in hers. There was no reason to wake her now with the bad news he could tell her in the morning. Nearly a week they would be staying in 1892, a week. Marty groaned a little too loudly and looked down at Laura. Without waking she instantly curled her fingers through his and matched her body crawling into his lap. He sat there for almost an hour, just stroking her hair and back, he hoped she was having a nice dream, he hoped he was in it with her.


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN - GOLD RUSH

Marty woke up and laid his arm across the bed. The place where Laura usually slept was empty. In fact the bed was cold, as if she hadn't been there at all. Marty stretched his arms over his head and noticed her clothes piled neatly on a chair in the corner. Slowly he rose and headed towards the downstairs. There he met Clara standing over the stove, two eggs in a frying pan, and toast popping out of one of Doc's creation toasters.

"Morning Marty, coffee?"

"Where is everyone?"

"Well Verne was up early and down the road at the crack of dawn, you know we see so little of that kid I am starting to think he moved out. Emmet and Laura also were up early, had a quick breakfast and headed straight to the barn. Jules isn't up yet."

"So she knows then?"  
"About the train? Yes, I'm afraid so."  
"How did she take it?"

"Quite well, she and Emmet started working right away, I had to kick them out of the kitchen, too much science too early in the morning."

Marty smiled weakly in response.

"Aw! Smells great Ma!" Jules exclaimed bounding down the stairs, "I'm starving! Marty?! Is that really you? I know I have been ill but never prone to delusions!"

"Jules? You certainly have grown," Marty laughed mildly trying to disguise the awkwardness he couldn't help but feeling.

Jules stood in front Marty where he rose to shake his hand. Jules was a good six inches taller than Marty forcing him to look up in order to make any form of eye contact. The young man crushed Marty in a bear hug, before flopping down in a chair at the kitchen table.

"I'm starving Ma, I'll have one of everything! I feel like I haven't eaten in weeks!"

"You haven't, you've been a sick young man, are you sure you should be up out of bed?" Clara asked taking his temperature with the back of her hand.

"Oh come on Ma! I can't stay in that room one minute longer! What day is it? What month is it?"

"It's Thursday Jules ... in October."

"The lads will be fishing today, oh you have to let me go! You just have to."

"You are sure you are feeling ok?"

"Yes I promise! Tip top!"

"And you'll come home the second you start to feel peaky?"

"Ma," Jules said rolling his eyes.

"Alright, off you go then, but Jules, be home for dinner! We have guests."

"Guests, apart from Marty?" Jules said shoving the rest of his eggs into his mouth.

"Marty's girlfriend Laura is here as well, be respectful."

Jules nodded and bolted from the room, grabbing his coat off the hook and letting the screen door slam in his wake.

"To be a teenager again eh Marty?" Clara said without thinking.

"Heh, yeah," Marty responded picking at his breakfast, "I should get out to the barn, see if they need a hand."

"I'd like a word with you before you go, if you don't mind?"

"Sure, yeah, that's fine.

Clara poured herself a cup of coffee and pulled up a chair opposite Marty.

"I know this has all happened so fast, with Bufford, and the train, I also know your visit was unplanned and certainly a surprise to myself."

"I'm sorry for that we didn't mean to intrude."

"You are not intruding, and as always we are happy to see you it's just, Emmet bringing you back, well this has proven to be dangerous and rather put our family, and yours, in some unforeseen danger. Marty, you will have to understand that this may be the last time our two worlds can meet. Obviously once Emmet has fixed the broken components on the train you will return safely to your own time, but in the mean time you are in danger just existing here. He and I decided before the children were born that the secret of time travel will die with Emmet, he will not teach his children how the machine works, and I am ordered to have it destroyed upon his death. Emmet is normally extremely responsible but this time he was reckless, which is, as you know, uncharacteristic of him, but around you sometimes he does not use his best judgment. He misses your company Marty, I can see it in his eyes when he returns from spending a day in the barn. It pains him to be apart from your friendship, but for your safety and ours, these visits across the time space continuum cannot continue. Please understand."

"So this trip, this is a good bye trip, this is it, it's done. Was Doc going to tell me all of this himself, or was he just planning on dumping us back in 1986 and never seeing us again? Me I am hurt, but now Laura?"

"Marty, Laura will understand, she is a scientist too."

"You don't know her like I do." Marty said standing up briskly, heading towards the door, he too let the screen slam shut.

Marty heard laughter coming from the barn. He stood in the doorway as both Doc and Laura sat on top of the train, various kinds of metal strewn about the floor. Laura was wearing a pair of Doc's overalls used for black smithing. They hung on her and were gathered by twine around her wrists, ankles, and waist. Her hair curled around her face in the humidity of the room, while her hands were covered in grease and soot. Marty felt the corner of his mouth upturn uncontrollably.

"Marty! Come in, come in, we were just working," Doc greeted jubilantly.

Laura climbed down from the engine and grabbed Marty's face kissing him warmly, leaving soot finger prints on his cheeks.

"Morning, sleepy head."  
"You both seem in good spirits, is she all fixed and ready to go?"

Doc frowned, "No, we have tried every form of metal I have available to me, but there is no suitable conductor in comparison to pure gold, we are going to have to wait until Monday."

"But Doc!"

"Marty, it's ok, we'll take these next few days and relax around here. We are so far out we will see for miles if someone is coming down the lane, and if we have to we can defend ourselves," Laura said motioning towards a shot gun with a modified sight mounted on the wall.

"I don't want to defend myself, I want to be safe, I want you to be safe."

"It's only a couple of days Marty, really what could happen?"

"There was a time when spending a week in another time would have looked like a vacation," Marty commented

"That's the spirit!" Doc smiled, "I suddenly feel like an ice tea."

Doc walked out of the barn, casually strolling towards the house. Laura turned to face Marty, her white teeth shone brightly against her dirty face.

"Marty? I have never been so happy in all my life and I owe it all to you."  
"And if I get you killed I will never be able to live with myself."

Laura took a step closer to Marty and grabbed the neck of his t-shirt pulling him close to her. She kissed him softly until she could feel him relax and focus on her. He pulled her waist tightly against him.

"We need to get out of here," Marty murmured in between kisses.  
"Monday," Laura responded.  
"I mean the barn."

Laura's head laid on Marty's bare chest. He played with pieces of her hair in between his fingers.

"Maybe I could learn to relax," Marty sighed happily lying in the grass and breathing in the fresh country air.

"I wish you would," Laura said crawling up to meet his face, "you are very handsome when you are relaxed."  
"And you are beautiful always," he smiled kissing her gently.

The two walked back through the orchard where the sound of giggling in the distance stopped them.

"Shhh," Laura smiled pulling Marty behind an apple tree.

Verne and his new girlfriend where standing under a tree holding hands in plain view. Suddenly, and very boldly, he leaned over and kissed the young girl. She didn't pull away as if they had done this many times. They didn't wrap their arms around each other, just kept their fingers linked after each small peck which lasted under a second. Marty stepped up behind Laura and rested his head on her shoulder.

"If we had met a few years earlier, been neighbors, been friends?" Laura whispered.

"We have each other now," Marty said kissing her neck.

"Come on, let's leave them."

When Marty and Laura arrived back at the farm house Clara was laying dinner on the table. Doc took a roast out of the oven, and Jules was already seated and grabbing a roll. Trailing reluctantly behind Laura was Verne. He didn't seem to take much notice of them and sat down next to Jules. Everyone at the table tightened, but Verne didn't seem to notice anything in Laura. He said "hi" joyfully to Marty, "ma'am" to Laura, and then joined his brother in stuffing a roll in his mouth.

Jules told the family about his adventures while fishing, and mentioned how the boys planned on going again on Friday. He begged Clara to go, and after feeling horrible for how ill he had been for so long, and their reluctance as parents to use time travel to save him, they let him go with little concerns.

"You should come with us, its great fun!" Jules said turning to Marty.

"Laura?" he asked, looking in her direction.

"Well Marty and I had talked about taking a ride in the morning, but how about we see you in the afternoon?"

Jules accepted this response and continued to shovel food into his mouth. Marty thought about Dave and Linda, and what it was like to be at a family table when they were all much younger. After dinner Doc's boys played cards in the front room while Doc and Clara sat in rocking chairs on the front porch drinking iced tea. Marty and Laura retired early to their room.

Marty pulled his t-shirt off letting the cool fall air prickle against his skin. Laura came behind him and laid her head on his bare back.

"We had such a nice afternoon, I forgot until now that bastard got out of jail today."

Laura said nothing but just listened to the sound of his tensed breathing.


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT – THE RETURN OF CLINT EASTWOOD

Marty and Laura took two of Doc's horses out after breakfast and rode causally through the open country.

"I had an interesting talk with Clara yesterday," Marty started as soon as they were out of ear shot from the main house. Laura stared at Marty as he continued, "She wanted to advise me this would be the last time we would be able to coordinate a visit, as the travelling has put not only ourselves but their family in danger."

"Doc mentioned something along those lines in the barn yesterday," Laura commented staring ahead of her horse.

"And you didn't tell me?!"

"I was going to, yesterday, but you seemed so upset."

"You shouldn't keep things from me!"

"Marty I am not keeping anything from you, but I am starting to wonder what are you keeping from me?" Laura looked at him calmly her eyes piercing his.

Off in the distance the sound of children playing in a river could be heard. Marty kicked the side of his horse and trotted off in the general direction of the children. Laura turned her horse slowly towards his and followed at a slow walk. Was this their first real fight? What was all of this doing to them?

When Laura arrived a few paces behind she found Marty's horse grazing under and tree while he carried on a conversation with Jules and his friends. Laura suddenly felt very old, maybe this was the warning that Doc was trying to give her. Maybe Marty still was a child and no matter how much he could act like a man, to her he would always be a child. She kicked her foot out of the stirrup and slid down the side of the horse. Marty took little notice of her when she stepped to his side. Couples argued she knew, and assumed to just let him have his space. Further down the bank she spied Verne examining rocks on the bank and showing them to Greta. Laura studied the children finding it hard to believe these two would one day grow up to be her grandparents. The sound of hooves clattering down the river bank made everyone's head turn in alarm. Bufford Tannen trotted up noisily with three rather dirty cowboys close in tow.

"Well looky what we have here," he snarled, his teeth missing and black.

"I done told ya boss, those Brown kids be down here almost every day," one of the man said rather stupidly.

"And Eastwood too, I've been looking for you runt, it's your fault I was in jail."

"I didn't tell you to rob that stage," Marty spat back.

"You're right, you didn't, but it's your fault I was in town to get picked up in the first place, I was going to shoot you, and now I am going to finish the job."

"Bufford, you done shoot a man and theys gonna hang you," the man on his left murmured with fear in his voice.

"They said something about shooting a man?"

"Yes,em."

"They say anything about shooting a kid?"

"No, no Bufford you could probably shoot the kid."

"Right, tell the black smith I said 'Hello,'" Bufford smirked through his missing teeth and he raised the gun to Verne's head. A single shot was fired.

Laura ran pushing the child out of the way, both of them tumbled and rolled onto the ground. Verne scrambled and ran for Greta, Jules and Marty ran to Laura's side, the rest of the boys followed quickly behind. Bufford and his men turned to leave.

"If she is hurt you son of a bitch I'll kill you!" Marty shouted after him.

"I'd like to see you try runt, like to see you try," Bufford laughed as his horse picked up speed.

Marty and Jules rushed to Laura who lay on the ground holding her bloodied trouser leg. Jules examined her leg closely while Marty held her hand.

"I ruined Clara's riding trousers," Laura laughed sweating profusely while tears welled in the corner of her eyes.

"Marty?" Jules nodded away from the body.

"Stay with me Laura," Marty said leaving her side.

"Marty, the bullet went straight through, I can find the exit wound, luckily he shot her with a rifle and not a shot gun or she would lose her leg," Jules said methodically.

"Luckily?! You call this lucky?"

"I think it hit an artery but I can't tell, she is losing a lot of blood, fast, we got to get her home and straight away," Jules said sounding more like a doctor than a teenager, Marty shuddered at the thought that Jules had maybe seen this kind of thing before, "Verne! Get Dad NOW! Greta you go on home!"

Verne tore off in the general direction of the house. Greta ran in the opposite direction tears in her eyes. Marty watched Jules as he tied a tunicate around Laura's leg. The kid he met in the house shovelling scrambled eggs into his face disappeared as the man took over. Laura's eyes rolled into the back of their sockets and her neck no longer supported her, her head lolling to the side.

"Oh God no, please God no, this can't be happening, Laura, Laura please stay with me, don't leave me! God this is all my fault, please don't go!" Marty sobbed into her hand.

"We need to move her now, we can't wait for Dad, Marty can you grab her shoulders?"

Marty and Jules hoisted Laura's Limp body on the back of Marty's horse. Jules held her body in place and sped off in the direction of Doc's farm with Marty close behind on Laura's horse in hot pursuit. Verne had arrived only minutes before and was advised by Doc to fetch the doctor in Hill Valley. Laura's body was lifted off the horse and laid on the work bench in the barn. Doc mumbled something to Jules causing him to dash up to the house.

"The wound is deep, but the bullet is clear, the artery is nicked but not badly and I can probably sew it up, I will need you to apply pressure, when the doctor gets here he will clean my handy work and give her something for the infection and pain," Doc said quickly preparing a needle and thread, "Put your hand here," he said motioning at the top of her thigh.

"If it's not that bad Doc why isn't she waking up?" Marty sobbed lightly.

"My guess is she is in shock, while she has lost a lot of blood but her colour still looks good. We don't want her to be awake for this part now anyway," Doc said as he pierced her skin with the needle starting to close the wound.

It was an hour before the doctor arrived, and another before Laura was finally transported into the house. Marty lingered with the doctor in the doorway of Laura's room.

"I have no doubt Mr. Eastwood, your wife will make a full recovery, she was lucky it was just a flesh wound, and that Jules here knew what to do. You'll make a fine doctor one day son," the doctor said patting Jules on the back, "Now Mr. Eastwood are you sure you don't want me to send the sheriff out? Nasty business this Bufford Tannen."

"I'd prefer to handle it myself," Marty said coldly.

"Suit yourself, well I'm off, goodbye there Mrs. Brown, Emmet I'll be seeing you."

Marty turned to face Laura, her pale body motionless, the doctor had given her a lot of morphine.

Clara and Doc stood talking quietly in the kitchen when Marty brushed past them on his way to the barn, slamming the door as he stepped outside. Clara and Doc exchanged looks before Doc followed Marty to the barn. He had already grabbed a revolver and saddled a horse. He was pulling himself over the horse when Doc grabbed at his leg.

"Marty where are you going?"

"This has gone on long enough Doc, don't try and stop me."

"Stop you from what?"

"I'm going to finish what he started, I'm going to track the bastard down and put a bullet square in his head, try to stop me and I'll shoot you too," Marty said hysterically turning the gun on Doc.

Doc raised his hands and stepped away, slowly. Marty kicked his horse and sped off.


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE – ITS NOT OK CORRAL

The handle of Marty's revolver sparkled against the sun sticking out just far enough from his saddle bag for Doc to see it was out of reach. He forced his horse at a gallop alongside Marty.

"I warned you Doc stay away from me!"

"I can't let you do this Marty!"

Doc rammed his horse against Marty's side and pulled at his reins. The horse fought back conflicted and pulled on. Doc loosened his feet from the stirrups and leapt upon Marty forcing them both to crash into the ground and roll. The horses continued to gallop on without riders.

"Damn it Doc! Do you really think this is going to stop me? That son of a bitch deserves to die, I won't stand for it anymore. Biff, Griff, Bufford, how long will it be before my family is no longer tortured by those monsters. He deserves to die!"

"And if you kill him you will die too, is that what you want?"

"What are you talking about Doc?"

"Biff is the reason your parents fell in love, no Biff no love, no love no you, get it?"

Marty groaned and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Laura is going to be fine, there was no harm done."  
"No harm, Doc he could have killed her, he could still kill you!"

"But he won't."  
"How can you be so sure?"

"Laura, she is living proof Marty. The fact she remembers her grandparents, the fact she is alive and healthy, and happy, Marty it's all the proof we need."

Marty rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands.

"Marty, you're tired, you need rest. Let's get you back to the house," Doc said putting his arm around Marty's shoulder.

"I'm sorry about your horses Doc," Marty said taking his hand again through his hair.

"Never mind that now," Doc smiled weakly.

When Marty walked into the house he was advised by Clara that Laura was awake and asking for him. Doc and Clara forced smiles and nodding for Marty go on into the room. Laura laid in the bed her eyes gazing out the window. Her leg had been bandaged and laid outside the duvet. Clara had kindly changed her into her clothes from 1986 so she would be more comfortable. She smiled when she saw Marty.

"How are you feeling?" Marty asked cautiously approaching her bed.

"Ready to go dancing," Laura smiled.

"He gave you a lot of morphine didn't he?"

"Yep," Laura choked, "Sit with me Marty."

"I don't want to hurt you."  
"You won't," she said reaching for his hand.

Marty fell asleep with Laura laying against his chest, just like they had so many times in front of the TV.

Doc and Clara stood in the doorway watching the two of them sleep.

"We could go with them," Clara said thoughtfully, "into the future."  
"And Greta?" Doc responded casually.

"It's truly too late now isn't it Emmet?"

"I'm afraid so, but he has another Brown to look after," Doc winked before walking away.


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN – ARMED ROBBERY

Marty and Doc causally lead their horses through town as the bank appeared in the distance, a Wells Fargo mail coach drawn up to the front entrance.

"Just as I said Marty, right on schedule, we'll go in, buy a couple of bars of gold, and I will have you back to 1986 by the afternoon," Doc smiled widely.

"Wait Doc!" Marty exclaimed grabbing his jacket, "Look!"

Three masked gunmen with large sacks and guns drawn exited the bank and swung on top of horses, looking behind them waiting for one more. Just then Bufford strolled out of the bank, tossed another bag up to the other man and climbed on his own horse.

"I don't believe this, he just got out of jail!" Marty exclaimed.

"What do you think the chances are he left any gold?"

Marty glared back in response.

Doc walked into the bank, the staff still rather shaken while Marty stood outside. A few minutes later he reappeared but shook his head.

"He took all of it, there won't be another shipment until next week."

"Doc, we can't wait until Monday, if anything Laura can't be here that long, she needs proper medical attention," Marty pleaded.

"I don't know what else to do Marty, no one has gold in the quantity that we need it in."  
"Then we ask the man himself."  
"Marty there is a death warrant on your head, you can't be serious."

"What other choice do we have Doc, I need to protect my family as much as you need to protect yours."  
"Family?"

"I bought a ring, before we left."  
"Marty!" Doc took Marty in a hug, "when were you going to tell us?"

"I haven't asked her yet Doc, and she still may say no."

"She won't say no."  
"Is there something you have seen? You know, futuristically?"  
"No, to be honest this took me by complete surprise, Laura turning up like this. I was skeptical at first I'll admit, but I think she is good for you."  
"So why won't she say no Doc?"

"Because that girl is head over heels in love with you," Doc said slapping Marty on the shoulder and started off in the general direction of the horses.

Marty, Doc, Clara, and Laura, with her leg on a chair and 1892 style crutches propped up against the wall, sat at the kitchen table.

"He must hide the stuff somewhere, if we could figure out where he hides it maybe we can just steal it?" Marty pondered aloud.

"I'm afraid only Bufford knows that, or one of his gang of thugs," Doc replied.

"What if we could get to one of them, I mean they aren't brightest of men," Laura said clutching her coffee cup tightly in her hand.

"Is there anything we have they would trade for?" Clara asked looking around the room.

"I still have the Hoverboard," Doc said eyeing Marty.

"The Hoverboard, of course!"

The two women stared at each other, what plan had their men hatched?

The next morning Doc and Marty road quickly with the Hoverboard tied neatly in a bundle on the back of Doc's horse. It didn't take long to find Bufford's camp site, the boys just starting to get around for breakfast.

"Tannen!" Doc called out.

"Hullo blacksmith, I see you brought Eastwood, going to give me a second crack at him eh? How's your wife, heard she didn't die, pity that!"

Marty lunged at Tannen, but Doc grabbed him and whispered, "Stick to the plan."  
"I didn't come here for a fight Tannen, I want to offer you a business transaction," Doc called out, "you have something I want, and I want to offer you a trade."

"What is it you want blacksmith?"

"I need a bar of gold."

"Then go to the bank."  
"Already been there, they told me to see you, you are on thin ice right know Tannen, I didn't want to have to see the sheriff."

Tannen drew his gun pointing it straight at Doc's head, "Maybe I will make it so you will never see anyone again?"  
"Look we have something you will want Tannen," Marty called out.

Bufford lowered his gun and looked at Marty, curiosity won him over.

Marty pulled from the sack the Hoverboard and placed it on the ground. He stood upon it and flew through the air for several turns before replacing it back in the sack and handing the sack to Doc who then retied it to the horse.

"Some kind of trickery that is," one of Tannen's men muttered.

"That Eastwood fella is some kinda witch or warlock thing," muttered another.

"How does it work?" Tannen asked bluntly.

"Magic," retorted Marty.

"Look Tannen it is the only one of its kind in existence and it is all yours for a bar of gold," Doc explained quickly.

Bufford glanced sideways at this men, "get the bag boys."

Bufford's men returned with a heavy sack and inside were several bars of gold. He took one from the bag and handed it towards Doc.

"The magic board first blacksmith, and then the gold."

Doc handed the wrapped parcel to Bufford. Doc took the gold from Bufford and quickly Doc and Marty rode back to the farmhouse. When they arrived Clara sat with Jules on the patio, and Verne and Greta had asked Laura to sit with them in the orchard. Marty made his pleasantries with Doc's family and raced off to be with Laura.

Marty found Laura sitting in the sun her eyes closed drinking in the sun in her 1980's t-shirt and black leggings, Clara had so graciously helped her get into. Verne and Greta were running around the trees, laughing and tickling each other. Silently Marty sat down beside his Laura and kissed her neck. She started before looking at him with a smile.

"Mission accomplished Mr. Eastwood?"  
"Mission accomplished."

"You really gave Bufford the Hoverboard?"

"I gave Bufford 'a' board."

"You mean …" Laura stifled her chuckle.

"Yeah, the real one is up in our room, Doc wants us to take it back with us, he said it's not safe here, under the condition we promise not to use it of course."  
"Of course," smiled Laura, "What is Bufford tells someone about the board though?"

"Do you really think anyone will believe him?"

"Point taken, but what happens when Bufford figures it all out, he'll come after Doc."

"Clara has family in New York, after we leave Doc is planning a cross country trip."  
Laura smirking knowingly, "So that is how we made it to the east coast."  
"What?"  
"Nothing, nothing at all," she shook her head lightly, "so what does this mean for us?"

"We can go home tonight if you are ready? Jules and Doc are making a replacement part as we speak."

"And you're not with him because…"  
"Because I had something important to do," he leaned to kiss her again, "I'm sorry, for everything, for arguing, for being over protective, jealous, and worst of all ruining any chance you have had to enjoy time with your family."  
"Marty, you are my family now, and besides it wasn't a total loss," Laura said holding up a small German figurine.

"Where did that come from?"  
"Greta gave it to me, well her and Verne both did," she smiled towards the children at play.

"Laura what happened to your parents, their children?" Marty said eyeing the two youngsters carefully.

Laura stared at her grandparents while she spoke coldly, "There was an accident Marty, a terrible accident, Daniel and Liz were driving home from a party, it was winter time, the road was icy and it was dark, a drunk driver hit their car, they were killed instantly."  
"How old were you?"  
"Seventeen." Laura spoke quietly. She didn't shed a tear, just kept staring on at the two children, "Contrary to everything that has happened, you haven't ruined anything," she finished with a weak smile.

Marty didn't try to console her, he just sat there in the silence of the open country, the breeze cleansing them of the past.


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN – GOODBYE DOC

Jules ran to where Marty and Laura sat.

"It's done, it's done! The time machine is repaired!" Jules gasped out of breath.

Laura and Marty smiled at each other.

Jules, Verne, and Clara stood in a line as the couple plus Doc prepared to board the train. Marty shook hands with the family and lastly he leaned into Jules.

"I can never repay you for what you did out there man, thank you."  
"Take care of yourself Marty," Jules smiled back.

"And you Jules."

Over the course of a week Marty had a new found respect for the young man.

Laura took more time, she hugged Verne warmly and wished Greta was there too, but Clara asked that she go home, knowing this would make no sense to the young girl.

Jules and Marty carried Laura into the train where Doc sat at the controls. Jules bent to hug Laura before leaving.

"Be careful Emmet!" Clara called up to her husband, big smile on her face.

"As always my love! I'll be back soon." Doc smiled, "Well kids buckle up!" Doc shouted over his shoulder.

The train rose into the air and gained speed.

"Prepare for temporal displacement!" Doc shouted once again and the train quickly accelerated to eighty eight miles per hour.

Laura clenched the arm rests and closed her eyes, Marty put his arm around her and squeezed her body into his chest. The three sonic booms roared loudly in the air followed by the blinding flash of light before the train appeared over modern day Hill Valley. Doc landed the craft safely on the tracks of the old stock yard. Laura opened her eyes, and Marty checked his watch. The sun had just started to peak over the valley.

"You should find we are here exactly one minute after you left, it was like you were never gone," Doc stated proudly.

Doc and Marty helped Laura onto the ground and into Marty's truck.

"I guess this is goodbye for good this time?" Marty questioned sadly.

"I'm afraid so my old friend, the time traveling Doc is going into retirement, but I feel safe about that now that you have a family of our own to look after," Doc smiled at Laura.

"I'll miss you great grandfather," she finally felt courageous enough to say the words aloud, "I am so glad I finally found you," Laura said squeezing Doc tightly.

Doc wiped away tears of his own.

"You two take care of each other, make a good future for yourselves, and remember the future is what you make of it!"

"We will Doc," smiled Marty putting his arm around Laura's shoulders...

The two sat in the truck on that cold October night until the train was nothing but a pair of smoke shaped tracks in the sky which eventually disappeared into the rising sun.

The next morning after Laura had been checked over by a doctor, Marty and Laura hopped in the Delorean and went for a drive. Marty drove out to the edge of town. He knew where he was taking Laura was bound to be painful but he had to know. They pulled into the Hill Valley cemetery and carefully drove through the path. They passed by the modern graves and in the final row reached a large oak tree with several older graves beneath it. A large headstone mounted in the back read BROWN. Laura shifted uncomfortably in her seat. As soon as she saw the row of headstones she knew. A few tears welled in her eyes but she nodded at Marty to continue as he motioned to get out of the car. He pulled Laura to her feet as she maneuvered her crutches. Together they walked to the grave site.

Doc's grave showed first, followed by Clara, then Jules, his wife, and Verne with Greta. Laura's parents had been buried in New York. Marty bent over the headstone and paid close attention to the date, it read 1925. Doc was nearly 110 years old when he died with the assistance of the rejuvenation clinic.

"A good long life," Marty thought smiling to himself.

"We only just saw them a few days ago," Laura muttered to herself.  
"And they are still there, living their lives Laura, time works on a plane, we are all existing at once, if you remember that sometimes it makes it a little easier."

"I think that is the sweetest thing you have ever said to me."

"I hope not," Marty said getting down on one knee as Laura stood propped up on her crutches. "I wanted to do this on your birthday, but we missed it, and well, I wanted Doc to be here so here goes."

Laura didn't have to say anything, she only smiled and nodded her head through tear stained cheeks.

 _*Note to readers - I see more happening in Marty and Laura's lives, however I see Doc and his family more as a cameo characters than main ones._


	12. Chapter 12

Author's Note:

I have started a part V and a part VI currently in the works to wrap up my idea. I plan to start posting part V here next week, and I need to start writing VI. Hopefully you will enjoy Marty and Laura's story as they carry on into their futures.

Thank you for everyone who has followed and supported my endeavour I am forever grateful for your kind words!

All the best!

Avoca Girl


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER ONE – BACK TO THE FUTURE FIVE

Laura stood by the front door and laced up her Nikes. It was the first time in months she had felt well enough to jog. Marty was still asleep and she was hoping she could get away from the lab without him noticing.

"Are you sure that is a good idea?" Laura heard Marty ask; startled she turned around to see alarm and disappointment written on his face.

"Marty the doctor had given us the all clear a month ago remember? The muscle damage has healed, just a little stiff now, the doctor told me to get back to normal routine as soon as possible, you have to let me do that," Laura said gently stroking Marty's cheek.

"I know your leg has healed but what about…?"

"Marty," Laura said disappointedly removing her hand and turning her back on him.

"The baby Laura," Marty finished.

Laura winced.

It was true the doctor had given Laura the all clear, but it was also during these tests that Laura started to experience extreme abdominal pain followed by uncontrollable bleeding. After a few tests and scans the doctors had determined Laura was three weeks pregnant, but had lost the baby. The doctors blamed the cause on an overdose of unpurified morphine which Laura had advised was administered for pain when she was shot in Mexico (1892 Hill Valley).

"You had to say it, you can't just let me get on with my life!" Laura shouted tension mounting in the air.

"It was my life too Laura, you don't even seem like it bothers you."

"Fuck off Marty," Laura said turning from his gaze and out the door, she had never sworn at him like that before, he stood there speechless.

Laura angrily jogged down the street, pain mildly shooting up her leg she carried on through past the court house and to the high school. There she eyed the track running the outside edge of the football field before deciding the better of it and sitting down. She put her face in her hands but was determined not to cry.

Her temples rested against her finger tips when she heard someone call her name. She looked up in surprise.

"Laura is that … it is you!" a young man said excitedly crossing the school lawn.

"Josh? What the hell are you doing in Hill Valley?"

"I could ask you the same," he smiled sitting down next to her, "last I saw of you I was taking you to the airport for a brief trip to Cali on family business, it's been over a year!"

"I mean to call Josh, I did but then," Laura brushed a piece of hair from her face with her left hand, "I had a few things here come up and…"

"You got engaged?"

"Oh!" she glanced at her hand, "Yes, well fairly recently."

"Best friends eh?"

"Hmm?"

"You and I, or rather we used to be," Josh chuckled, "You ok? You seem distracted?"

Laura thought about Josh and if she could trust him. It was true they had been best friends all through college, more often than not both crashing in her condo after a night out in Manhattan. Nothing had ever happened between the two of them but Laura knew Josh had always crushed on her in some way. Mostly she hoped he would grow out of it and find a nice girl to settle down with. In the past she had even said as much, as she told him she was never really the marrying kind, yet here she was in Hill Valley with an engagement ring.

"I have a lot on my mind," she smiled weakly.

"Well I have time; do you want to grab a coffee?"

"Yeah ok," Laura said resolutely.

The two of them went into the café on the corner of the square. They both ordered black coffees and took a booth near the back.

"So what are you doing here?" Laura asked trying to take the attention off of her.

"Teaching job, head science teacher at the high school, had my interview this morning, was just leaving when I spotted you."

Laura was surprised; while in University their scientific pursuits differed she was surprised to hear Josh had decided to settle as a teacher of all things.

"I hope you get it," she smiled again and then stared down into her coffee.

"Enough about me, don't take this wrong but you look like hell Laura, are you sure you are ok?"

"Look Josh, I will admit it would be nice to talk to you, but there has been so much and it's very complicated, and…"

"Why don't you tell me and I will decide what is too complicated?"

"I don't even know where to start."

"The beginning is generally a good place," Josh smiled taking her hand across the table just as one of Marty's band mates witnessed the touch through the window of the café.

Laura told Josh about coming to California to find family, and insinuated how she had been successful. She told him of meeting Marty by chance in her search and how they came to be engaged, but omitted the part about time travel. She explained that she had been approached on a government project which took her to Mexico during a political uprising which resulted in her getting shot in the cross fire. She explained of the poor medical treatment, the morphine overdose, and how she came to find out she was pregnant but lost the baby shortly after.

"I was so sick," Laura finished, "then I started bleeding, we did a scan and the doctor told us the baby was gone."

Josh reached for her hand, but she pulled away.

"It's not like that Josh, see the thing is I didn't know I was pregnant, it's not like we were trying, I hadn't had time to commit or accept the idea, and you know me I don't care for children, I am not the motherly type. When I found out it was over and too late I was relieved, but Marty was so upset. The doctor told me it would be unlikely I could conceive again, I haven't told Marty. We haven't been talking lately, he just hovers over me all the time, truth is its driving me insane!"

"He cares about you."

"Yeah."

"Well don't you agree?"

"I suppose so, there are just times, he'll hate me for saying this but I miss my life in New York, and the condo, and my freedom."

"You can always go back?"

"No, we, I, am closing on the condo this weekend, I fly back on Friday to tie up loose ends, I sold it last month," Laura looked at her watch, "Look it's getting late, I need to be getting home, it's been great seeing you, and I am sorry I've not been a better friend," Laura went to stand.

"That's all I get? How about dinner? You and Marty?"

"He has a band thing tonight; I can get away for a couple of hours though."

"Pick you up at eight?"

"No I'll meet you somewhere."


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER TWO – DOC HOLLYWOOD

Laura walked in the front door of the lab and scanned the room for Marty. She found him beer in hand watching TV. She tried to ignore the fact that it wasn't even noon and he had already started drinking.

"Hi!" she smiled brightly over compensating.

"You are late, I almost came looking for you, I would have but then Chuck called to say you were at the cafe."

"Ah yeah, I ran into a friend of mine from college, we hadn't spoke in a year, you know how it is?"

Only Marty didn't know, he'd never gone to college.

Marty glared, and Laura gave up.

"Look Marty, I don't know what to tell you or how to make this better anymore, you are upset with me, but I can't change what happened. The baby, I'm sorry! Ok I am sorry! It would have been better if I had just died back there and let you get on with your life."

"Don't ever say such a thing," Marty said coldly.

"Well what do you want from me then?"

"Just to feel something, anything, instead of this," Marty gestured referring to Laura's stoic personality.

"Like what? We weren't planning for a family, the thing was never alive! I just want my normal life back. I want my normal Marty back."

"I see, to you it was just a 'thing'."

Laura growled with frustration, always managing to say the wrong thing.

"We are engaged, this was the next logical step, and this is why I thought you would be more upset than this."

"Marty what if I can't have children?"

"Why do you think that? Jesus Christ Laura, did the doctor say something?"

Laura stared at him her eyes searching his face.

"Perfect," Marty muttered.

"Not impossible, but very unlikely, my medical treatment in 1892 did some serious damage, I am lucky to be alive, and I guess I thought to you that is all that mattered."

"When were you going to tell me?"

"There was never a good time."

Marty snickered dryly.

"Look, we leave for New York the day after tomorrow; there is a lot of business we need to take care of. Let's just work through this now so that we can leave with our problems behind us."

"Laura," Marty chuckled awkwardly, "You don't NEED me there."

"What are you saying?"

"I think you better go back alone, I think we need some space, a couple of days to think things over."

"You mean you need to re think our engagement?"

"If that is what you think."

"Marty I'm too old to play these games; do you even want me to come back from New York?"

"I'll leave that up to you."

"So is this how we are going to leave things?"

Marty picked his jacket up from a nearby chair.

"I have rehearsal, and the gig tonight, come don't come, whatever," he said slinging his coat over his shoulder and making for the door.

Laura stood staring after him.

Hours later and still no word from Marty, she could sit by the phone only for so long before she started to get ready for her dinner date. She chose a dark blue suit dress and high heels. Marty was not overly tall, and a lot of Laura's high heels had been retired to the back of the wardrobe. She looked at herself in the mirror, she looked thin, and after the shooting she had lost some weight.

She sat behind the wheel of her Delorean and tuned in a local radio station. She backed out of the drive and sped down the road to the place where she was meant to meet Josh. He was on the curb waiting for her when she arrived.

"Someone looks better than when I saw them this morning," Josh smiled kissing Laura on the check.

Laura blushed involuntarily.

The two walked into the restaurant and were immediately sat at a table. Josh ordered them both a Cosmo. Laura sipped it lightly and looked pleased.

"I haven't had one of these in ages; I forgot how good they are!"

"Don't you and Marty go out?"

"Sometimes, we are more of a split a bottle of wine couple, Marty doesn't drink much and well he's only eighteen."

"Found a young one didn't you?"

Laura blushed again, "Yeah but it's not like that, and Marty is mature for his age, a good man really."

"Who are you justifying that to? Me or you?"

Laura felt embarrassed having to explain herself. She wasn't sure if it was the explaining part or the situation that made her feel uncomfortable, so instead of over thinking she over drank instead.

Wave after wave of cosmos arrived at the table while they picked at their food and laughed over old times. If Laura closed her eyes she could imagine they were back in down town Manhattan at their favourite place. After dinner Laura went to stand with difficulty.

"I can't drive," she giggled.

"We'll take a cab; I'll drop you home on the way to the hotel?"

The two of them climbed into the cab and Laura gave the driver her address, concentrating a little too hard on the pronunciation. When they arrived in front of her house for just a moment Josh attempted to come in with her. She pushed him back playfully.

"We're not in New York anymore," she laughed.

"Yeah," Josh sighed, "I guess we're not."

Laura stumbled up the walk way to the lab and with difficulty turned the keys in the lock to open the door. The whole place was dark, and it was apparent Marty still wasn't home. She looked around the room and noticed no missed calls on the answering machine. The clock on the wall said a little after 2 AM. She shrugged her clothes off into a pile and collapsed onto the bed.


	15. Chapter 15

CHAPTER THREE – TEEN WOLF

Marty hopped in his Toyota and peeled from the driveway. He was angry and had been drinking, but was decidedly sober enough to drive. He arrived at Chuck's house before the others and threw himself down on Chuck's sofa.

"You alright Marty?"

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry I had to call you like that earlier man, but I thought you should know."

"No you're right its fine, I'd just like to get on with this."

The others arrived within minutes of Marty finishing his sentence. Chuck and Marty were the only two who knew what happened that day. Marty rushed through rehearsal and asked to get to their gig early. They were playing a bar on the rougher side of Hill Valley. A lot of these places did not ID and as some of the band members were over the age of 21 pitchers of beer were usually supplied. Marty never being a heavy drinker, normally stuck with his Diet Pepsi, but tonight was different. He and Laura had never fought like this before, things were very tense at home, and he just needed a night with the guys.

Marty got through the first set and had consumed almost an entire pitcher of Miller Light himself. He walked through the crowded room to the bar where he went to boldly order a second pitcher knowing no one would card him.

"Hi stranger," said a familiar voice.

Marty turned slowly to come face to face with Jennifer Parker in the crowd and home from college

"Jen," Marty squeaked, "What, what are you doing here?" he stuttered.

"College break, visiting family, you look good, sounded good, I mean sound good, you sound good Marty," she blurted out awkwardly.

"Thanks, you look good too," Marty found himself smiling.

"Marty get your ass up here!" shouted Chuck.

"I better go."

"A few of us are going to a party after the bar closes, if you're not busy you should come by?" Jennifer offered.

Marty took the details and said he'd stop by.

After the second set Marty scanned the room to see Jennifer had gone. He was getting sloppy by then but at least functioning. He walked over to Chuck and put his arm around his shoulder.

"Was that Jennifer Parker you were talking to earlier?" Chuck asked.

"Yep," Marty hiccupped.

"Whatever happened between you two anyway?"

"I'm not sure," Marty slurred then giggled.

"Ok bud, after we load this up I'm driving you home."

Marty shook his head, "I'm going to a party, and so are you!"

"Marty I really think you should go home."

Again he shook his head.

Chuck soon found the two of them in Marty's truck driving to a house party on the other side of town. When Marty slid himself out of the truck he walked straight to the keg where he poured himself a drink and took a cigarette out of a random girl's hand. Chuck apologized in Marty's wake and followed him into the house. Marty stopped short in the kitchen just in time to see Jennifer kissing another man.

"Marty!" she exclaimed breaking away slightly embarrassed, "Kevin this is Marty, the guy I was telling you about, his band is incredible, Marty this is Kevin my boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?"

"Can I see you for a minute Marty?" Chuck said grabbing Marty by his collar and pulling him out of the room.

"What's your problem!?" Marty shouted belligerently.

"You are, Marty what is going on, I know Laura upset you, but now Jennifer, and you are engaged!"

A few people turned to stare at Marty and Chuck. Marty went to lift the cigarette to his lips when Chuck slapped it out of his hand.

"Fine, take me home then!"

"You're not going home like this you are a mess, Laura will kill me, you're coming back with me."

Chuck stopped at Burger King, ordered a grease filling meal and a Diet Pepsi for Marty. When they arrived back to Chuck's apartment, he made Marty eat and sit outside on the front steps.

"I don't understand why I can't come inside," Marty said fighting consciousness.

"You'll see," frowned Chuck.

Quickly Marty turned and threw up everything he had eaten into the bushes along with a pitchers worth of beer.

"And there you go," Chuck smiled pulling Marty up by his orange vest.

"I feel like shit Chuck."

"I know man, and it's going to be worse tomorrow," he said escorting Marty inside.

He sat Marty on the couch and turned to find him passed out by the time he brought a blanket back. He covered Marty; put a bowl next to the sofa, and a Diet Pepsi on the coffee table next to two Tylenol tablets. Chuck himself went into his room and shut the door.

When Marty woke light was coming through the curtains in Chuck's living room. His head pounded and he reeked of cigarettes. His eyes stuck in the back of his head and it felt like someone had rung all the liquid from his tongue before putting it back. He sat up slowly and bent forward over the bowl. He didn't throw up but he felt like he could. He heard Chuck's door open and met his eyes before looking away quickly.

"Morning," Chuck yawned, "or is it afternoon?" he said scratching his head.

"Look last night..." Marty started.

"Don't worry about it, how you feeling?"

"Like shit, did I see Jennifer or did I dream that?"

"Oh you saw her alright."

"And Laura?"

"Doesn't know, and I would keep it that way."

"I need to get home."

"Truck is outside, keys on the table."

"You drove?"

"Yeah."

"Do I need to drop you somewhere?"

"No I'll be fine, but you better get home to Laura, and if I were you I would stop by and get some flowers. If you were half the ass to her you were to everyone else last night you will be lucky if she is still there."


	16. Chapter 16

CHATPER FOUR – LIFE WITH MIKEY

Marty walked into the lab that afternoon with a bundle of flowers in his hand to find Laura standing over a large suitcase on their bed. A large glass of water and a steaming cup of coffee sat on the night stand. She heard him come in but didn't turn to face him.

"If you are home to have another go at me just stop, I'm hung over, been throwing up all morning, and I leave for New York in the morning so I have to be at LAX early," she grumbled.

Marty stopped short and turned back to the kitchen to find a vase for the flowers. He hadn't been the only one who was out drowning his sorrows.

"Where's the Delorean?" Marty asked quietly.

"In the parking lot of Luigi's, I was too drunk to drive, I will collect it later." Laura said in a matter of fact manner.

"Ah I see," Marty said walking back into the kitchen.

"Jennifer Parker stopped around lunchtime. Wanted to make sure you got home ok," Laura said coldly.

"Laura, I can explain," Marty said rushing towards her.

Laura spun coldly and stared Marty down, "I don't care Marty, I don't want to hear it, and I have a lot of packing to do," she finished turning away from him again.

Laura and Marty didn't speak for the rest of the night. She engrossed herself in a book outside and when it was time for dinner she made herself a light snack before retiring to bed. She shoved the flowers out of her way on the kitchen table, a sign they had been acknowledged but didn't change anything. Marty felt wounded but there was little he could do. In haste his own airline reservation had been cancelled, and even if it wasn't things were too awkward to spend a five hour direct flight with Laura as his travelling companion.

After Laura went to bed Marty left his chair and stared at the picture of Doc. He lifted the photo from the mantle and carried it back to his chair. Doc's awkwardly smiling face staring back at him.

"Oh Doc," Marty said quietly, "I really messed up this time; I wish you were here to help me with this."

Behind him Laura stirred and got up from the bed. She shuffled over to where Marty sat, and took the picture from his hand placing it back on the mantle. Sleepily she smiled at him, took his hand and led him into bed. She kissed him warmly, cuddled up to his chest, and drifted off to sleep again. Marty slipped his hands beneath her shirt and felt the warmness of her skin on his finger tips.

Morning came early for the two of them. Marty carried Laura's suitcase to the back of the truck and drove her to LAX. She sat quietly in the passenger seat. Her actions last night were more about basic human need than forgiveness, for Laura she still wanted to talk about what had happened. Marty stared blankly at the road ahead.

"You don't have to park, I can get out here," Laura said quietly.

"You don't want me to see you to the gate?"

"There's no need, I'll be ok."

"OK, well I guess this is good bye for awhile right?"

"I'll be back in two days."

"I love you," Marty felt awkward even looking at Laura as he said it.

"I love you too Marty."

Laura got out of the truck, checked in with American Airlines and made her way to her gate. She found a bar just a few gates down in the same terminal. She sat down and ordered a nice glass of red wine. Spacing off she watched TV in the distance as she sipped her wine and absently played with her engagement ring. She noticed another passenger staring at her, and quickly slipped the ring off and placed it in her jeans pocket.

"Nervous flyer?" he commented.

Laura nodded subtly and turned her focus back to the TV.

Marty was just pulling into the drive and parking his truck next to Laura's Delorean. The lab seemed so quiet without her cheerful disposition moving around the room in leggings and blasting music, not that their relationship had been like that for quite some time.

An hour later Chuck knocked at the door.

"Hey Marty!" Chuck said slapping his best friend on the back, "You look good champ, where's Laura?"

"New York, dropped her off this morning, she is on her way now."

"Things better between you two?"

Marty turned and raised an eyebrow.

"Right."

"Pepsi?"

"Yeah."

Laura had her eyes closed, a good four glasses of wine down from the moment she got to the airport until now. They served a light lunch on the plane which she picked at and ordered another glass of wine. She had just started to nod off into a nap when she heard a familiar voice, looking up only to see Josh.

"Small world," he smiled.

"You didn't say you were on this flight?" she said moving over to allow Josh to have the empty seat on the aisle while she propped up against the window.

"You didn't ask."

"But I didn't see you at the gate?"

"I boarded late."

"Oh so you were that guy," she smiled coyly.

Both of them ordered another glass of wine as the flight attendant came through.

Marty and Chuck sat in the living room of the lab playing a few different chords and chatting. Marty had known Chuck longer than anyone, even Doc; they had been friends since Kindergarten. Chuck too swore off college in exchange for a music career and worked as a bartender at a local place. Over the past year he'd been worried about Marty, he was pretty torn up over losing Jennifer, and then Doctor Brown disappeared. But Laura came into his life and everything had balanced out. Now he seemed to be troubled again, and with Laura in New York he thought it would be best not to leave Marty on his own.

Marty and Chuck had decided to go out for a pizza by the time Laura's plane touched down at La Guardia. Laura felt a little buzzed but she was determined to remain composed as the plane landed. Josh walked with Laura to baggage claim where she took her suitcase and the two of them looked for a cab outside. Marty on the other hand kept a close eye on his watch, hoping there would be at least a message from Laura saying she had arrived to New York safely. When he got home later and there was still no message he began to worry and cursed himself for not having taken the New York contact number down when she was trying to give it to him.

Laura had no worries at all after arriving in the city. She shared a cab with Josh who lived near her and continued on to her condo, her home. She tossed her bags in the corner, turned on a light and looked over the pile of flat boxes she had arranged to arrive before hand. She walked to her window and looked out into the city's lights glowing against the natural night darkness. She yawned, and made her way into the shower.


	17. Chapter 17

CHAPTER FIVE – BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY

Laura's eyes were dry as she looked around the room and squinted. It took her a few seconds to adjust to not being in the lab, or near Marty, for the first time in months. She spread out on the bed and stretched. It was then she realized she never called her fiancé. She looked at the clock on her bedside table. It was still too early to ring California. She laid back down and stared at the ceiling.

Marty tossed and turned into the early hours of the morning. Even if they had been arguing, Marty had come accustomed to Laura always being there in the last year. He missed the sound of her breathing, the warmth of her body, and he found when he shut his eyes and drifted off for a few minutes the start of his nightmares would return jerking him awake in a cold sweat.

While Marty still fought the demon of sleep, Laura was just pouring her first cup of coffee. Wearing her favourite outfit of leggings and large t-shirts she inventoried each room. She was only shipping five boxes, everything else was either going to charity or being sold with the condo. She started in the living room carefully moving a few volumes of books when she was interrupted by a knock at her door. She looked through the peep hole to see Josh standing there.

"What are you doing here?" she asked opening the door, "and more importantly how did you get in?"

"Bribed the door man, you didn't think I would let you spend your first morning in New York without a mimosa? Its tradition!" he said holding a grocery bag with three bottles of champagne and a jug of orange juice.

"Morning, Mimosa, Moving Day," they both said together.

Since the days of college any time one of their group moved to a new apartment or house the packing party always started first thing in the morning with a round of mimosas. Laura opened the door a little wider and Josh eagerly stepped in. Within an hour they had finished the first bottle and managed to pack up most of the living room and kitchen. Just two rooms left. Surveying her work Laura looked at her watch, but it was still too early to call Marty.

Marty wrestled with his dreams no longer and walked into the kitchen. It was a little after four in the morning. He stared at the coffee maker on the counter, but thought the better of it. He walked to the fridge, threw open the door, grabbed a Diet Pepsi and a cold slice of pizza before settling into his chair and flipping on the TV.

Walking back from the local deli later that afternoon with a sack of sandwiches Laura and Josh laughed together.

"Oh I forgot about that, did we really do that in college?" Laura asked commenting on a memory Josh had just reminded her of.

"Well you did," he smiled, "Laura I'm going to miss you, are you really going to give all of this up for California?"

"Josh," she said curtly and stared at him.

"It's a nice town I will give you that, I had never even heard of Hill Valley until I went out for the job, but Laura I told them I don't want it, Cali is just not for me, I'm a New Yorker through and through."

"That's too bad, I had kind of hoped I would have a new coffee buddy," Laura said brushing off Josh's sincerity.

"You have Marty," Josh said sadly.

"Jesus Christ! Marty! I forgot to call him, what time is it anyway?"

"About two o'clock."

"Shit!"

"Laura, I have some other bad news for you too?"

"Oh, what now!?" Laura sounded mildly annoyed.

"I think you have misplaced your engagement ring."

"Double shit!" Laura exclaimed looking at her empty hand.

An hour of tearing apart the condo led to no results. Laura and Josh sat at the kitchen island while Josh poured Laura another glass of champagne; the sandwiches were still cast on the counter as Laura was nearly in tears.

"Where was the last place you saw it?" he asked kindly.

"I don't know, the plane, I'm not sure."

"What did you do with your stuff when you came home?"

"Set everything in the corner; put my jeans on the chair, my jeans!" Laura exclaimed running off to the bedroom with Josh closely behind.

Laura held the ring in her hands and started to jump, "It's here, it was in my pocket the whole time! Oh thank God!"

She ran to hug Josh caught up in her happiness. He took her into his arms, lifted her off the ground and held her close. She stepped back to walk away when Josh kissed her warmly.

Marty hopped in the truck giving up on Laura's call. He drove out to the old stock yards where just a few months before he had seen Doc. He sat there, Van Halen playing on the radio.

"Well Doc," he said more to himself than to anyone else, "I really blew it this time. Laura is gone, you are gone, and I feel like complete and total shit," Marty rested the bridge of his nose on the tips of his fingers and closed his eyes.

When Marty pulled his hand away he looked over into the passenger seat and was surprised to see Doc there.

"You didn't mess up Marty, why are you so hard on yourself?" Doc asked causally.

"Doc?"

"The one and only."

"Doc!" Marty went to hug his old friend, "What are you doing here?"

"You were talking to me; it would have been rude not to answer."

Marty accepted this explanation rather easily.

"Why do you think you messed things up?"

"She's gone Doc, Laura is gone, she went back to New York to close up the condo, I didn't go with her because I'm an idiot, and now she hasn't called when she said she would. I don't think she is coming back this time. She has been seeing this friend of hers, some guy; I think she ran off with him."

"Is that what you truly believe?"

Marty nodded.

"Look Marty, I have never been in any position to ever give anyone any advice on love, but I do know you, and you are a good person, Laura does see that."

"Is she coming back Doc?"

"Did she give you a reason to believe she wasn't?"

"No."

"Then I would say it is safe to assume she is coming back."

"How long are you staying for Doc?"

"Not long."

Awaking with a start Marty quickly looked around the cab of the truck, he was all alone. It was a dream, wasn't it?


	18. Chapter 18

CHATPER SIX – FOR LOVE OR MONEY

Laura pushed Josh away roughly.

"What are you doing?!" she shouted.

"I'm sorry, I thought."

"No, that's the problem you didn't think. We have known each other for years why would you do something like that?"

"I thought you wanted me to."

"You're amazing, you actually help me tear this place apart to find my engagement ring and then you kiss me? What is your problem?"

"I better go," he said backing out of the room.

"Yeah you better go!" Laura spat back.

"Hang on a minute!" he shouted back turning around, "For someone that 'loves' Marty McFly as much as you claim to, why haven't you even bothered to call the poor kid?"

"Get out Josh, just get out!"

"This isn't my fault you know, if you hadn't gone on that wild goose chase out west you would have stayed here and married me. You wouldn't have been shot either, in fact I would go as far as to say you might even be happy," he said over his shoulder, "because you sure as Hell don't look happy now."

"What? Josh we were always good friends, if you felt something more why didn't you ever say anything? Is that why you came out to Hill Valley, not for the job but you were looking for me?"

"I was worried, you disappeared, no call, no letter. Then I get there and you tell me you were shot?! Engaged! How am I supposed to feel? Shot on some government mission which you claim you can't tell me about, engaged to some teenager you barely know, what am I supposed to think Laura?"

"It's classified," Laura muttered.

"Always is with you, and I know you Laura, I will bet anything it wasn't a government assignment, I will bet it has something to do with that crack pot scientist in your family, and your ridiculous metaphysics studies."

"How dare you!"

"I'm right though aren't I?"

"Marty and I ..." but Josh interrupted her before she could begin to defend herself.

"Yeah then there is Marty, the mystery man you won't let me meet or see, what is the story there Laura?"

"Why do I need to explain myself to you?"

"You don't," Josh said turning angrily towards the door, his hand reaching for the handle, "You never did, why would you want to start now?"

Laura slammed the door behind Josh and walked back to where the phone hung on the wall. She slumped against the wall and sighed before she picked up the receiver and began to dial.

"Hello?" Marty answered quietly.

"Hi!" she was laying it on a bit thick.

"Laura?"

"Well who else would it be silly?" Laura slurred a little and covered her mouth quickly.

"Are you drunk?"

"A little," Laura felt embarrassed; she twisted her newly placed engagement ring on her finger.

"Are you ok? Why are you drunk?"

"Had a little moving party, a friend stopped over, we were packing and I guess I got a little carried away. It was nothing really," she lied.

"Josh?" Marty grumbled.

"Yeah, how did you know?" Laura responded surprised.

"I thought I saw him on the sidewalk at LAX, I didn't want to say anything though."

"Ah, well everything is packed up accept the closet, I will do that tomorrow, and then fly out the next day as arranged. I just need to meet with my lawyer and accountant."

"So you are coming back?" Marty seemed lightened.

"Marty, did you seriously think I wasn't?" Laura sobered.

Laura hung up the phone and walked back to her view of the city of New York. Josh was somewhere out there but she was beyond all of that now. It was Marty she wanted to see, Marty who she loved, and Marty who she wished was here right now. She picked the phone up off the receiver one more time and ordered in a pizza for later in the evening, placing the sandwiches in the fridge, they could wait for tomorrow. It would be the last time for a very long time she would get a decent New York slice. She cracked open a bottle of wine that had been chilling in her fridge and decided to push back the rest of the packing until the next morning.

Marty was in good spirits after their call. While it was uncharacteristic of Laura to get that drunk during the day he was happy she was coming home and it appeared all had been forgiven between the two of them.

He looked at the photo of Doc and smiled talking to the photo as he so often does when he is alone, "Thanks Doc, I guess your advise paid off, she is coming home."

Marty then went to the fridge. "Laura was going to need to come home soon; stale pizza and macaroni & cheese were no way to live," Marty thought to himself as he scanned the limited contents. Laura had always done the cooking and grocery shopping for them, in fact as he looked around, Laura had done a lot of things. He knew he had been unfair to her, he had a right to be devastated for their child, but he needed to support his future wife. When he looked back at being a teenager he felt it was a million years ago. He thought about calling Chuck and going out for a burger but then thought the better of it. Normally when he had a day to himself he'd be with Doc, and even though it had been over a year he still had not found anything to fill that void. Chuck was a good friend, but he was no Doc.

Marty looked around the state of the lab and ran his fingers over the time circuits of the Delorean noticing they had collected a light layer of dust. If only he had paid attention to how this stuff really worked. Doc was always rambling but all Marty could remember was that Mr. Fusion fed off of garbage while the car itself ran on ordinary gasoline. He never learned how the Flux Capacitor worked, and touching the cold piece of metal that had not been lit up in almost two years, it was impossible to pick up where Doc left off.

Marty fingered a layer of dust on the shelf. Since Laura had been away he'd let the lab get a little out of control. He owed her this much, to come home to a clean place. He worked through the entire living space and landed staring at the dejected flowers on the counter. Daffodils, what was he thinking? He dumped them into the trash, roses would be better.

In the corner of the room a flash of pink caught Marty's eye. He walked over and picked up the Hoverboard. He threw it in the middle of the floor and watched it floating gently waiting for a rider. Feeling like the kid he sometimes was, Marty looked around to see if the coast was clear and then made a running jump for the board. He rose in the air and started to propel himself around the room. He had just taken a turn past his arm chair when he lost his balance and flipped over in a crumple on the floor as the phone rang.

Marty crawled across the floor and reached for the phone on a nearby table.

"Yes may I speak to Marty McFly please?" the voice on the other end said.

"Speaking."

"Marty, my name is Joel Daniels and I am a representative from Wilson Records in Los Angeles, we just listened to your demo tape and we love it!"


	19. Chapter 19

CHAPTER SEVEN – GREEDY

"We want to meet with you as soon as possible Marty, the rest of the band too, but we want to see you first, how fast can you get out here?" Joel explained full of energy.

"Is this really happening?" Marty questioned quietly.

"Look kid I can't promise I am going to make you a star, but we definitely want you to come into the studio and do a few recordings. We just had a cancelation, is there any way you can make it to LA tomorrow morning?"

"Yeah of course, like whatever you need I'm there."

"Good man Marty! Right I will see you then, let's make it eight AM, get a pen I will give you the address."

Marty hastily wrote down the information with elation. He tore through sheets of paper in order to find the number he had finally written down for Laura. Shaking he dialled the number, this was it, his big break had come through and he wanted to share it with her. However, he was filled with disappointment when the line continued to ring busy and remained that way for the rest of the night.

Laura opened the door to her wardrobe, the last of the last to be packed. She was amazed how many clothes she had acquired over the years. So many were items she'd never wear again, dresses bought for benefits and charity openings, events for scientific research and funding, she was leaving a lot of her old life behind. She touched the fabric of several dresses before she came across a white one. It still had the tag on it and she was slightly confused as to when it was purchased. As she lifted it off of the rack she noticed its perfection. Capped sleeves made of lace forming into a lace covered bodice with a light and flowing knee length a-line shirt. The right shoes and a small head piece, this was it, the one, her wedding dress, and it had been here all along. She laid it carefully on the bed when her phone rang.

"Laura, God, its Charlie, I've been trying to reach you all morning!"

"Charlie! Hi! I've been here; maybe the phones were out of service? I thought we were meeting for coffee this afternoon?"

"This is too urgent, it can't wait, have you heard about Brantley?"

"My accountant Brantley? No, why, what has gotten into you?"

"Are you sitting down?" her lawyer, sounded frantic.

"Charlie I'm packing, I leave for Cali tomorrow, what's the matter?"

"It's Brantley; he embezzled everything and ran to the Cayman Islands! You're broke darling, we all are!"

Laura felt the phone slip from her fingers and crash to the floor.

Marty grew frustrated with the phone and started to pack a bag. He would head into LA that night and stay in a hotel. What does one wear for an audition in LA? He grabbed his sports jacket, a grey t-shirt, a pair of jeans and his walkman. He crammed everything into his red back pack and placed the Hoverboard with his skate board in the corner. Marty grabbed the keys to the Delorean off of the hook by the front door. He took one last look over his shoulder before leaving for the door. He hopped in the seat behind the wheel of the Delorean and threw his bag in the passenger seat. He revved the engine and sped out of town. As he reached the open highway between the two cities the speedometer reached 88 miles per hour. He found himself squint for temporal displacement, but as usual nothing happened. A smile plastered on his face, ZZ Top blaring in the background, the sun just starting to set over the valley he left behind.

Laura heard a pounding on her door. She pulled herself up off the floor and looked through the peep hole to see a frantic Charlie. "How did they keep getting into this building?" she thought to herself as he busted into the room. Laura as ever composed, hiding the fact she herself was just in a state of panic, and crossed the room to where the wine had sat in the kitchen from the night before.

"Sorry, I don't have anything stronger," she said handing Charlie the glass as he gulped furiously, "I'm kind of in the middle of packing."

"Laura, I'm sorry, I know I was to protect you, I recommended this jerk, he had my money too!"

"Ok, ok, let's be logical, how much is lost?"

"All your investments were liquidated; you only have what is in your bank account."

"How was he allowed to do that without approval from myself or you?"

Charlie started at the floor.

"Great you gave him approval?"

"He said he was moving them not taking them!"

"Ok, so I've a couple of thousand to tie me over, plus the sale of this place, how about you, will you be you ok?"

"I'll be ok, it will be tight but I will be ok, I am so sorry."

"It's not your fault Charlie; I have no idea what I'm going to tell Marty."

Marty settled into the cheap hotel and set a can of Diet Pepsi on the stand nearest the bed. The pink carpeting and green bedspread were less than to be desired. He turned on the air conditioner to filter the used room smell away and started to turn through the limited TV channels settling on a free HBO station. He saw the list of call prices next to the phone, almost a dollar an hour to call New York, it could wait. He stretched back with the phonebook at his side and contemplated finding a pizza delivery place.

Laura and Charlie stared hopelessly into their wine glasses sitting at her kitchen island.

"Well now what?" she laughed lightly.

"I am glad you find this funny."

"I don't, but what else can we do? I have to fly back tomorrow evening, movers will be here at eight, not much more I can do you know?"

"California must be agreeing with you."

"Why do you say that?"

"The old New York Laura I knew would be losing her mind at this news."

"It's a different pace of life out there Charlie, you should try it sometime."

"Do you need a hand with anything?" Charlie said looking around the nearly empty condo.

"No I think I am ok, I was almost done when you called, you go on home, have you told your wife?"

Charlie shook his head.

"It will be alright you know?"

"I promised Daniel I would take care of you, and here I have let you down, you are sure you will be ok?"

"I will be fine Charlie, I'm a Brown, we are always fine," Laura said putting her arm on his shoulder and guiding him towards the door.

Charlie had been friends with Laura's father since they were in grade school. It pained Laura deeply to see him so upset and to take the blame for something that was entirely out of his control. After all how were they to know Brantley would do such a thing?

After Charlie left she walked slowly to the kitchen, put the empty bottles away, organized her boxes in the corner, finished her packing for the plane, and grabbed her jacket, purse, and keys. It was still early evening and she had time to go out before she needed to sleep for her journey. There was a small bar on the corner Laura used to frequent for the occasional cocktail. She hoisted herself up on the barstool and ordered a Cosmo, one last one for New York.

Marty laid on the bed with a pizza box at his side. He yawned stretching his hands over his head. An episode of Family Ties played in the background, he laughed at a joke made by Alex P Keaton. Laura always thought the two of them looked alike but Marty just didn't see it.


	20. Chapter 20

CHAPTER EIGHT – THE SCECRET OF MY SUCCESS

Marty pulled up in front of the recording studio a little before eight. He gripped the wheel of the Delorean, his guitar in the backseat and his palms sweating. He hadn't slept at all just laid there tossing and turning in the hotel room. Was it excitement? Was it nervousness? He couldn't decide. There was no time for dreams last night as he never shut his eyes. A tap at the window broke him from his trance. Shakily he turned towards the stranger peering through the window.

"You Marty?" asked the man through the window.

Marty quickly nodded his head.

"Marty I'm Joel, we are ready for you, come on in."

Joel turned and walked back towards the building not even waiting for Marty to get out of the car.

Marty pulled the guitar from the back seat and opened the gull wing door of the Delorean. His Nikes touched the ground lightly as he carefully made his way inside the recording studio. He felt his knees shake and legs go weak. He didn't feel confident anymore, he wished he'd been able to get a hold of Laura before he left.

"Alright Marty, we have heard you do some Huey Lewis covers so let's start with that."

After three hours they took a break and Marty grabbed a Diet Pepsi out of the team fridge. He looked at his watch and new it was already early afternoon in New York, Laura would be on her way back by now. They called him back in and another session of three more gruelling hours commenced.

Laura had met the movers that morning who took five rather large boxes to their truck. She handed them the address and a tip for their time. They assured her the items would be back in Hill Valley in roughly a week. She boarded her plane at JFK and was relaxing in her seat as the flight attendant brought through another round of drinks.

Marty stood outside shaking Joel's hand.

"Excellent set Marty, great job! I am going to give this tape to the higher ups, let you know, see if we can bring the whole band in next time, how does that sound?"

"Great, great," Marty glanced at his watch, Laura's plane was due to land in thirty minutes, "Hey, how far away is LAX from here?"

"About thirty minutes."

"Damn, I'm late!"

"We'll call you!" Joel shouted after Marty as he dashed into the car.

Marty sped down the side street and towards the airport. Along the way he stopped into a flower store and stepped out with a dozen roses tightly wrapped in tissue paper. When he pulled up to the parking garage he could already see the airport busy as if a plane just landed. He locked the Delorean and rushed into the terminal; he looked around to the arrival board but couldn't remember what airline Laura was on. He finally asked someone at the American desk who directed him down to a gate. Flowers in hand when he got there the gate was empty. He ran to the desk where a woman stood writing information on a clipboard.

"American flight, JFK to LAX," he breathed heavily.

"Landed 20 minutes early, they are all down in baggage claim," she responded without looking up.

"Perfect!"

Marty ran past the signs to baggage claim, but when he got there only a few stragglers were pulling their baggage from a rack labelled American Flight 21. He stopped a man grabbing his bag.

"Where is everyone?"

"Leaving I imagine," the man responded again not making eye contact with Marty.

"Damn!" Marty exclaimed as he started to run again.

Laura walked along the corridor dragging a large black suitcase and following the signs to the parking lot where there would be an unlimited amount of cabs and rental cars. There had been no sign of Marty and she had been wandering for close to forty minutes. She found it hard to believe he could have forgotten her, but he did seem rather distracted lately. She would rent a car and figure out the rest later. Then she remembered the expense of a rental car and sighed. How long could she go before the financial resources ran out? She needed to tell Marty.

Laura crossed into the parking lot when she noticed a shinny Delorean parked in the corner of the garage. Even in 1987 these were still not the overly popular cars as stylish as Doc had hoped. She looked at the California license plate which had been recovered off of the time machine. OUTOFTIME Laura smiled to herself and looked around for Marty.

Marty, having given up on the airport scene, reluctantly went back to the Delorean. The flowers titled slightly from his hand as he looked dejected. "Maybe she hadn't come home," he thought, his mind immediately taking him to the worst place possible. He fished the keys from his pocket, and when he looked up there she was. Skinny jeans, white Nike trainers, and a shirt that said "I 'heart' New York."

Marty's blue eyes met hers.

"Get lost stranger?" Laura smirked.

Marty tossed the flowers on the hood of the car. He slipped his hands around Laura's waist and pulled her to him fast. His mouth met hers as he clung to her warmly. She combed her fingers through his hair as the butterflies returned to the pit of her stomach. Marty held her face in his hands and pulled away from her only briefly enough to nuzzle his neck in her hair.

"Hey, it was only a few days," Laura smiled stroking Marty's back.

"Longest of my life."

Laura smiled weakly, "Can we go home?"

Marty nodded and opened the door for Laura, placing her suitcase on the back seat.

"Marty, what's with the guitar?"

Marty grinned widely.

"Well, what is it?" Laura couldn't help but smile back.

"I did it, we did it! I made my first recording this morning, with a real LA recording company. They want me to come back with the band next week!"

"That's fantastic, when did all of this happen?"

"Just yesterday, I tried to call but the line was busy, what was going on?"

"It's a long story, tell me more about this new gig," Laura said gripping Marty's arm.

That night, for the first time in several days, Marty felt he could finally sleep. Days of stress had worn him down and after dinner, holding Laura tightly in his arms he finally drifted off smiling. Laura looked at the clock. It was a little past midnight when she decided to get up for a cup of coffee. She took the steaming cup and curled up in the corner of the sofa in the darkness. Lost in thought she wondered what she was going to tell Marty about their money situation. Just as his news was so good could she really deliver news which was so bad? Out of frustration a few tears silently fell out of the corners of her eyes as she stared towards the general direction of the mantel where the picture of Doc and Marty stood propped up against the wall. Marty didn't know it but she missed him too.

Marty instinctively stretched across the bed for Laura's body. He ran his hand across the sheets of the bed only to find her nowhere to be found. He sat up slowly squinting in the darkness. The outline of Laura's frame could just barely be seen in the moonlight. Marty walked silently over to her and sat down. His eyes scanned her face which revealed a trail of glistening tears. The whites of her eyes turned to his direction but she remained quiet only swallowing hard. Marty put his arms around her and cradled her to his chest. They had both been under a lot of strain, he wanted to know why his baby was crying, but knew this would need to wait until morning. Laura clung to Marty her fingers tight around his ribs, while Marty lightly stroked her hair.

Laura needed Marty, she needed something to feel real, and they hadn't felt real since she had returned with him from their last visit with Doc. She kissed Marty's bare chest softly, but he stopped her to cup her face in his hands. He guided her mouth up to his and pulled her into his lap. Kissing her neck Marty rolled Laura on to her back and made love to her.


	21. Chapter 21

CHAPTER NINE – FAMILY TIES

When Marty woke he was surprised to find Laura still in his arms as she was when he fell asleep. She never slept in and he was a little disappointed to not find breakfast started. He turned his head towards the clock. Was it really almost two in the afternoon? Where had the time gone? "Laura really must be tired," Marty mused to himself as he tried to shift from underneath her weight. He felt her breathing lightly and watched her eyes flicker under the lids. She had never mentioned dreams about being shot, but that still didn't mean she didn't have them. Marty shuffled to put the coffee on and grabbed himself a Diet Pepsi. After the coffee finished he took a cup to her and placed it on the night stand. Gently he pushed the hair from her face but she didn't stir. He bent over her and kissed her softly. She stirred a little and pulled back to yawn. Her body ached from too much sleep. She put her hands above her head and arched her back.

"You slept late," Marty smiled.

"I must have needed it, we were up late," Laura smiled back.

"I'm up for round two if you are?"

"Maybe in a minute, is that coffee I smell? Did you learn to work the machine or did you go to Burger King again?"

"Machine, machine!" Marty laughed starting to nuzzle her neck at an attempt to get her to change her mind about a second round.

"I need to tell you something," she said sitting up and trying to take her coffee mug in her hands.

"Ok, so tell me."

"Something happened while I was in New York."

"That bastard Josh I'll ..!"

"No Marty, not Josh, Brantley."

"What's a Brantley?"

"Not a 'what,' a who."

"Ok so WHO is Brantley?"

"He's my accountant or rather was, Charlie called and ..."

"Who is Charlie?"

"My lawyer, just listen Marty, Doc's money, my money, it's gone."

"I'm afraid I don't understand."

"Brantley stole it, and not just from me but others as well, and fled the country. My lawyer is doing everything he can, but until Brantley is found and prosecuted it doesn't leave us with a lot of options. I have always managed money well, and not all of it was invested through Brantley's firm, but we aren't as independent as we once were."

"How not independent are we?"

"I have a few thousand, we are in the double digits, but it won't last forever. I'll need to find a job, and well so will you."

"My music career is just taking off."

"These things take time Marty."

"I know that, but I think I have done it, hit it big, I think we will be ok."

"And that's good, but I am going to probably look for work anyway. That teaching job for science at Hill Valley High is looking pretty good right now."

"Come on, it won't come to that," Marty said taking her coffee and setting it back on the table, "I love you, I wouldn't have asked you to marry me if I didn't. For rich or for poor remember? That's one of those wedding vow things," Marty smiled weakly.

"Wedding vow things huh?"

Marty took Laura's hand and ran his finger over her ring.

"Guess we have to delay things now?"

"For rich or for poor you said."

"But we can't have a big wedding."

Laura raised an eyebrow.

"I know most of our family are time travellers."

"You parents, brother, sister?"

Marty groaned in response.

"Ok, ok."

"Let's just do it, go to the beach in Santa Monica, just like we talked about, drive up tomorrow, find a justice of the peace and let's just do it!"

"Tomorrow?"

"Why did you have something else planned?"

"Just spending it with my husband I guess," Laura smiled.

"The only thing is I wish Doc was here."

While Marty called around to see who would be available to meet the two of them for a quick beach wedding Laura unpacked her suitcase from New York. At the bottom still in a garment bag was the dress she had been looking for. She hung it on the inside of one of the wardrobe doors and went back to her case.

"Great, no that is perfect we'll be there," Marty said slamming down the phone with excitement and scooping Laura into his arms.

"Good news?" she laughed.

"It's all arranged, someone is going to meet us by the ice cream stand at 12:30 tomorrow and we are going down to the beach."

"Ice cream stand? Classy," Laura hissed with sarcasm.

"Look if you don't want to do this?"

"No I do, I do."

"This time tomorrow I'll be holding Mrs. McFly."

"Mrs.? God I feel old."

"Come here," Marty said sitting on the bed pulling Laura onto his lap, "We don't have to rush into this, we can wait, but I don't see any reason to. I love you, you are my life now and forever, and I hope that you feel the same. I can't face the world without you, and I don't want to."

Laura rested her chin on the top of Marty's head while he cuddled into her chest.

"Maybe I should leave for the night?" Laura murmured.

"Where do you want to go?" Marty asked alarmed.

"Not supposed to see the bride before the wedding," Laura smiled kissing the top of his soft brown hair covered head.

Marty squeezed his arms tighter around her, "Are you sure you're ok with all of this?"

"Yeah, I was just thinking."

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"I'd need about a million of them."

"Our finances will sort themselves out Laur, you know that."

"Yeah, I was thinking about something else. You never got to meet Daniel and Liz, doesn't feel right somehow." Laura said referencing her parents.

"Would they have liked me?"

"They would have adored you," she said kissing the top of his head again.

Laura didn't speak about her parents much and Marty, having the strained relationship that he did with his own, was sensitive to the subject of family. He took Laura's hand and ran his fingers over the engagement ring again, when it popped into his head. A ring! They hadn't bought rings.

"Do you mind if I step out for a bit?"

"No, where you off to?"

"Just some last minute planning, it's a surprise; I'll be back later this evening."

"Yeah alright."

Marty snatched the keys for the Delorean and sped from the drive leaving Laura to finish her next day's preparations. He didn't return until much later that night but it gave Laura plenty of time to finish a surprise of her own.


	22. Chapter 22

CHAPTER TEN – OTHERWISE ENGAGED

The sun rose into Hill Valley at exactly 5:15 AM that morning. Marty knew because he checked his digital watch as the first bit of sunlight cast through the window. Laura slept soundly in their bed. Marty didn't know how she could do it; personally he was a bundle of nerves. He was getting married today, not to Jennifer Parker, and not in the Chapel O Love, no instead it was to be a quiet beach ceremony in Santa Monica. He put the coffee pot on and went over to his sports coat where he felt the two delicate wedding rings in the front pocket. Inside the lining pocket were tucked two airline tickets to Vancouver. It wasn't the most glamorous of places but it was all Marty could afford on such short notice. Laura deserved a honeymoon. He'd thought of packing her bag but he was hopeless when determining what she needed. He would tell her after she's had her coffee, they would have to leave straight for LAX later that evening.

Marty sat next to Laura and let her sleep just a few more minutes before he aroused her with a light kiss.

"Two days in a row," she yawned, "to what do I owe this honour?"

"Last day as Laura Brown, that's what," Marty said kissing her again.

"What time did you get in last night?"

"A little after eleven, you were already sleeping and I didn't want to wake you."

"Big day."

"Nervous."

"A little, you?"

"Terrified," Marty smiled, "Look I got to thinking about this whole wedding thing and well what is a wedding without a honeymoon?"

"Oh Marty, we don't have to, can't afford one anyway," Laura mumbled.

"Well we can, but it was a bit tight," Marty replied coming back with the envelope containing two Air Canada boarding passes.

"Canada?"

"Vancouver, it's all I could afford. Thought maybe we would go camping?"

Laura raised a tired eyebrow.

"I just want to be with you."

Laura raised her hand to Marty's cheek and caressed it gently. Husband Marty McFly looked so handsome first thing in the morning. It has been the right decision to come to Hill Valley looking for him almost two years ago.

Marty carried their bags to the Delorean and put them in the back seat. Key in hand he walked back into the house and over to the mantle. Marty had a white short sleeved button up shirt, dark denim jeans (hard to find in 1987) and a pair of black dress shoes, his black sport coat dangled from the crook of his arm. He felt confident as he held the picture in one hand and addressed it casually.

"Well Doc, we are finally here. I'm getting married to the most amazing woman, but you knew that already. I wish you could witness this day, our two families, feels right somehow. Thank you Doc, without you I wouldn't be here and well this is all because of you."

Laura stood in the doorway of the bathroom in her white dress. Her hair curled neatly in an up do with small white hairpiece. Her feet adorned with a pair of white pumps covered in lace. She was free of all jewellery and accessories apart from her engagement ring on her left hand and a small purse was clutched in her right hand. She smiled as Marty spoke to the photo. He blushed briefly in response when he noticed he had been observed.

"You are the most beautiful bride I have ever seen," Marty said quickly placing the photo back in its place and walking towards Laura and extending his arm.

"How many brides have you seen exactly?" Laura asked smirking and raising an eyebrow.

"Only one and she is the only one that matters."

A few hours later Marty stood hand in hand with Laura at the beach. A few tourists milled about and took pictures, but they were far enough from the pier that it wasn't overly crowded.

"For better, for worse ..."

"For richer, for poorer ..."

"In sickness and in health ..."

"Throughout the past, present and future ..."

Marty winked.

"Until death do we part ..."

Laura stifled a sob as Marty placed the ring on her finger and nestled it next to her engagement ring. Marty's hand shook as Laura placed his ring on his left gently rubbing the underside of his palm. They kissed warmly and the minister shook both of their hands before taking his leave.

"Well Mrs. McFly, off to the airport?"

"Not just yet my wonderful husband," Laura smiled trying out the new title, "What would make this day perfect?"

"You know the answer to that," Marty frowned, "must I say it?"

"Look up the beach about thirty yards or so, and tell me what you see."

Marty squinted in the California sun, his eyes scanning the white sandy beaches. Then suddenly they landed on a figure. He wore a rather loud printed button up shirt that looked yellow with purple, was that trains? His white hair reflected the sun around his oversized sunglasses. Marty turned back towards Laura with a puzzled expression.

"Can't be," he said more to himself than anyone else.

"You'll find it is," Laura smiled widely.

"But how?"

"I'll explain."

Laura took Marty's arm as they walked towards the figure. Both parties wanted to run but the fine sand wouldn't allow it. Marty took Doc in a large hug and Doc kissed Laura on the cheek.

"I still don't understand," Marty said looking between his wife and best friend as they suppressed smiles. For the first time Laura truly looked like Doc's relation.

"You can't keep a good time traveller down," Doc laughed.

"But Clara said..."

"Clara doesn't know I'm here, this is our little secret, and I'll be home before she even knows I'm gone."

"But how did you know when to come?"

Doc glanced at Laura.

"That would be my doing; Doc and I decided to leave messages for each other, in case of emergencies, a secure place inside the vase attached to his headstone."

"That's a bit morbid," Marty squelched.

"Hey we all have to go sometime," Doc added casually.

"But what about knowing too much about your own future Doc?"

"The future changes all the time Marty, you of all people should know that."

"Laur?" Marty questioned turning towards his wife.

"I gave him the date, time, and place, no other details just in case someone were to ever find the notes. We agreed on the code the last time we were together, when we were alone repairing the train. Only dates, locations and times, we keep it very vague, nothing too personal our safety is still a concern. If someone shows up who shouldn't the other party leaves. This wasn't exactly an emergency but I knew you'd want your best friend here."

"How many times have you done this?" Marty questioned.

"None, this is the first time, and it worked brilliantly!"

"Exactly," responded Doc, "I knew you two were engaged and had a feeling this was coming, unfortunately due to some miscalculations I almost missed it entirely. It was almost 1988 before I found the note and it was pretty well weathered. But once I found it I came back immediately!"

"It's so good to see you Doc," Marty said sadly.

"Come on now, no sadness today, you have a honeymoon to look forward too, and we will see each other again when the first little McFly comes along," Doc smiled.

"Actually Doc ..."

"That sounds great," Laura interrupted giving Marty a subtle shake of her head.

"Well I need to be off before I am missed. I know Clara gets upset when she finds me gone again, but it never lasts long, got to love time travel," Doc winked pretending not to notice their exchange, "Now Marty you take care of her, and Laura you watch out for my best friend, got it you two?"

"Got it Doc," Marty said pulled Laura close to his side and planting a firm kiss on her cheek.

The three old friends went their separate ways. Doc, to wherever the train was stashed this time, and Marty with Laura to the Delorean which would take them to LAX and from there Vancouver.


	23. Chapter 23

Greetings to everyone who has stuck it out with me this far! I bring you the final instalment, Back to the Future Part VI! Enjoy!


	24. Chapter 24

CHATPER ONE – BACK TO THE FUTURE VI

Marty held Laura's hand as she shakily walked into the lab. The room was dark and cool. She was tired and looked pale. He walked her over to the bed where she laid down and sighed deeply. Marty placed a blanket gently over his wife and brushed the hair from her face.

"Can I get you anything?"

Laura shook her head.

"Get some rest my love, you will feel better in the morning."

Laura rolled onto her side and closed her eyes. Marty quietly slipped away taking a beer from the fridge and walked outside. The heat from California sun was still present as the sun itself started to sink behind the sky line of Hill Valley. It was the summer of 1988. Marty sat in the driveway between Laura's Delorean and his truck. He stared out into space when a familiar voice disrupted him.

"There's my champ!" Chuck roared.

"Laura's sleeping," Marty grumbled not even looking up from the can clasped in his hands.

"Oh come on will she really freak out because you woke her up from her nap?"

Marty looked up from his beer can, his eyes red.

"Something has happened." Chuck said solemnly.

"Yeah, we just got back from the hospital."

"Hospital? Everything ok bro?" Chuck said sitting next to Marty on the concrete.

"Yeah, Laura had an operation this week, it's why we haven't been around, and she didn't want me to mention it so you best not either."

"What kind of operation? Will she be ok?"

"She is fine, but there will be no more attempts to have kids."

"Ah come on Marty, it's not the end of the world. You're awfully young to be worrying about all this anyway."

"Yeah, that is what she said too, and we knew we couldn't, I mean the doctors said, but I still wanted to try, then Laura got so sick this last time, I thought I was going to lose her, they decided to make it so we can't try. I should have been more careful with my wife." Marty sobbed.

Chuck put an arm around Marty's shoulder.

The road Marty and Laura had chosen was not an easy one. They had married young, and it had only been a little over a year now. Laura's investments slowly recovered after Brantley's embezzlement, however he was never found and they were still awaiting prosecution. She had taken the teaching position at Hill Valley High School and within a few short months was promoted to head of the science department. She regularly had coffee with Mr. Strictland and much to Marty's dismay (and Strictland's for finding a McFly he actually liked) Marty found the man tolerable enough to sit through the odd dinner. Laura had a habit of bringing out the best in those around her. Marty cut an album with his band at the end of 1987, just six months after their wedding, but after a month long concert tour around California Marty decided his place was at home. Laura had suffered a second unexpected miscarriage while Marty was in San Diego, and it was more than he could bear when he finally arrived home and saw her again in a hospital bed. Sadly Doc had not made an appearance since their wedding day, and while they hid it well, they both missed him terribly.

When Laura woke that morning the colour had returned to her cheeks, her pain was manageable and soon enough she found herself smiling again. Marty had a gig that night and was trying to force himself back to sleep. After he had quit touring this is the life he had resorted to, gigging in various bars around Hill Valley. Still between the two of them they brought in enough money to pay the electric bill. Laura nuzzled her husband before edging herself out of bed. She shuffled to the kitchen and brewed a pot of coffee. Marty rolled over to the warm spot she had just vacated and pulled her pillow under his arm. The nightmares had all but stopped now.

Laura walked over to the flux capacitor sitting on the shelf, and then glanced over her shoulder at Marty. He was still asleep, "just one more time" she thought. Carefully she reached behind the box and grabbed a yellow and a red wire. She twisted them together and stood back as the little box glowed to life.


	25. Chapter 25

CHAPTER TWO – NEVER PLAN A FUTURE WITH PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE FUTURE PLANS

Marty woke dreamily and gazed in the direction of the flux capacitor just in time to see what he thought was a glimmer of light leave the device. His eyes moved to Laura who stared at the machine unaware she was being observed.

"Did I just see ...?" Marty said throwing back the covers and hustling to her in his boxers.

"See what Marty?"

"Light, light coming from the flux capacitor! Have you been working on it?"

"Marty," Laura said sounding like a true Brown.

"Laura tell me, I have to know," Marty said grabbing Laura's shoulders.

"Marty, you're hurting me."

"I'm sorry," he said loosening his grip, "Laura I have to know, is it working again? Did you fix it; do you know how it works?"

"Yes, well not one hundred percent yes, but I think so."

Marty grabbed Laura and crushed her body to him spinning her around.

"Marty please put me down; I am still kind of sore."

"I'm sorry Laura, but this is all just so fantastic!"

"Now Marty, just because we have found a power source doesn't mean the whole thing is working, I still need to work out the logistics, there are loads of calculations to be done. I am no Doc Brown."

"You are every bit as capable of doing what the Doc could do."

"I find the confidence you have in me flattering but we are still very early days here."

Laura walked over to her large brown leather bag she took to the school with her every day. From it she pulled a ratty composition book. Inside were scratches with notes and figures. She flipped about ten pages in and handed it to Marty.

"It took ten pages just to find out which wires would turn the thing on, it could take years before we figure it out, and then to covert the parts back on to the Delorean," Laura sighed, "I just don't know."

"How long have you been working on this?"

"A few months."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Well because it wasn't definite. I started when you were on the road. It gave me something to do at night. It was all guess work until the thing switched on."

Marty walked to the shelf and touched the still warm machinery, and then ran his hands over the time circuits. "This one tells you where you are, this one tells you where you are going, and this one tells you where you were." Doc's words echoed in his head and determination pierced in his intense blue eyes.

"We have to figure this out Laur, we just have to."

It would be another week before Laura would be able to go back to work, and again with Marty playing in the local bars she found her nights very quiet. Working through papers of Doc's she started to reconstruct an outline for the Delorean, and how each component was placed. Fitting them wouldn't be a problem, Doc had left plenty of tools, it was just getting them to work that would be a struggle.

Every night that week Marty played a different gig while Laura worked through the night to perfect the time machine. Marty would arrive home tired and then dedicate until the sun came up all his energy to science. After a week of very little sleep Laura laid in the crook of Marty's arm. They collapsed and had slept through an entire day into the evening. She touched the side of his ribcage and felt the warmth radiating from every breath. She wanted him but even now was too tired to make love to her own husband. Marty stretched his arm further around her and pulled her to his chest rolling over on his back and pulling her body on top of his. He ran his hand up her shirt and rested it on her bare back kissing the top of her head.

"Marty," she murmured.

"Hm?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"But I am too tired to have sex with you," she smiled into his chest.

"Me too," he said wrapping her tighter.

Several hours later and half a delivered pizza, the two of them sat on the sofa in front of the TV. Marty in a t-shirt and boxers with Laura in her t-shirt and black leggings. Marty had pizza sauce on the corner of his mouth while he drank a beer and they watched a rerun of Family Ties. Laura laughed loudly at something Alex Keaton had done.

"Should I be worried about this crush you have on this Keaton guy?" Marty jibbed.

Laura sat her paper plate on the coffee table and turned to face him, "No, I would much rather stay with my husband who is covered is pizza sauce."

Marty went to touch his lip.

"Leave it, its sexy," Laura laughed.

"Kiss it off?"

Laura took the plate from Marty's hands and set it on the table. She crawled into his lap and took his face in her hands while she delicately pecked at the corners of his mouth. His hands slid back under her shirt and felt for her breasts. They hadn't made love in almost a month and Marty felt like he was going to explode. He scooped Laura up in his arms and took her to the bed. She extended her arms towards him, and pulled at his shirt. Suddenly Marty stopped.

"What's the matter?" Laura asked.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Of course I'm sure, you're my husband."

"I don't want to hurt you again."

"Marty I'm fine, all healed, the doctor said so, all healed, no pain, no babies, its fine."

Marty scrunched his face in response.

"That's it, I've had it," Laura said angrily sitting up and pushing past Marty.

"What are you going to do?"

Laura stood up just inches from Marty, pushed him to sit on the edge of the bed and removed the remainder of her clothes. There, just below her navel you could see the scars from her surgery. Marty hadn't seen his wife like this before. She grabbed his hand and made him touch the scars.

"Does it hurt?" he asked amazed at the puckered skin.

"Not anymore."

"But it did?"

"Of course it did Marty, but we heal."

"You're beautiful," Marty gasped.

Laura took a step towards Marty allowing his hands to encircle her body. She felt him brush against her as his excitement grew. She moved to his lap and allowed him to slide up as she sat down. His mouth opened but no words came out.

"Now I am going to ask you very nicely Mr. McFly, would you like to make love to your wife?"


	26. Chapter 26

CHAPTER THREE – DON'T LET YOUR PAST STEAL YOUR FUTURE

Laura stood in front of the mirror putting a swipe of mascara on her lashes. Her sleeping husband rolled over in the background. Marty pulled back the covers and walked across the room in his purple Calvin Klein's. He slipped his arms around his wife and attacked her neck with his lips.

"Are you sure you have to leave so soon?" Marty crooned in her ear.

"First day of school McFly, need to be early."

"Where do you find the energy from?"

"Lots of coffee my love," Laura said turning to kiss her husband.

The scene pans back across the room where their dining room table is covered with small mechanical parts. Blue prints laid over them haphazardly. Furniture was stacked in the corner and parked against the wall opposite the kitchen, where the TV and sofa once were sat Laura's Delorean, two large funnel like apparatus attached to the back end.

"Can I borrow the truck? It's supposed to rain today."

"As long as you are back by 6, I have that gig tonight over at Buzzard Billy's."

"Life was easier when we had two cars," Laura sighed.

"Life was easier before time travel, but there you have it."

"Without time travel I would not have been born."

"Then I take it all back," Marty smiled grabbed Laura roughly to his chest.

"Marty I need to get to work."

"Fifteen minutes."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," he growled in her ear.

"When I get home we will talk about it, I'll see you later!"

Laura grabbed her bag and skipped out the door. Marty heard his truck start in the driveway, and walked casually back to bed. He looked around the cramped space. The Delorean was taking up a lot of room, but even with a car cover he knew it wasn't safe outside. He stretched his hands over his head and thought again about Doc. What would he think about all of this? Would he be happy or think these two kids were insane?

Marty slept until early afternoon. He working nights and Laura days still did not give them a lot of time together, still he was usually up when she left, and she would always wake to him coming home for a few hours, even though he was trying to be quiet. Somehow the two of them made it work.

When Marty woke he pulled on a pair of jeans and grabbed a Diet Pepsi from the fridge. He checked his watch, he had a few hours. He sat down at the table and started twisting wires and checking blue prints. The box was large and sliver, the face plate facing Marty, his hands working furiously. While he didn't understand the entire science behind Doc's invention, that was always Laura's forte, to him wiring the electrics were no different than when he was out with the Pinheads and a piece of equipment broke, he could repair anything electrical. Laura had hinted he would exceed in college but again the application deadline came and passed. Mr. Strictland was even encouraging but Marty just couldn't get his head wrapped around it. How could college compare to time travel and being a rock star?

Marty took the last sip off of his can and sat it down with a light clang. He ran his hands through his soft brown hair and ruffled it up at the back with a yawn. He took the box over to the wall and twisted against two wires coming off of a cord from a power strip. He checked to make sure everything was off before connection. He stood back, hands over his eyes and flipped the switch.

A brief spark shot outwards followed by the time circuits glowing to life with the current date and time.

"Yes! Yes, yes, yes!" Marty shouted.

Suddenly a larger spark shot out, Marty dropped to the floor, and the machine shut down and began to smoke.

"No, no! God fucking damn it!" Marty screamed kicking the leg of the table.

Laura turned the door handle in time to see the end of the tantrum. She smirked a little and set her bag softly on the floor.

"Something wrong?"

"Fucking thing shorted out, I got it working, it displayed local time and the date, then ... ah fuck!" he swore again kicking a nearby chair.

"Hey, it's ok ... wait, wait! Did you say it displayed local time and the date before it shorted?"

"Yeah," Marty sighed.

"You are sure?" Laura asked rushing to him and shaking his shoulders.

"Yeah but the insides are fried, it's probably ruined now."

"Marty this is fantastic!" Laura exclaimed jumping around the room and clapping her hands.

"It's fantastic that I broke it?"

"No, I mean you didn't break it, we can fix that, it worked, it really worked!"

"Laur?"

"Getting it to turn on is good yes, but getting the dates to sync, Marty that means the components inside are working. It means they are capable of connecting to the flux capacitor. Marty once we fix the insides and get them mounted to the Delorean, Marty we can travel again."

"We can find Doc?"

"Marty, we can go anywhere."

"Are you sure about this Laur? Like really sure?"

"I need to run some figures, I will do that while you are at your gig, but I think we are about there."

"You aren't coming?"

"Tonight? Marty it's Monday."

"I miss you, I miss staring out in the crowd and finding your face."

"We are so close Marty."

"Can't we take one night off just for us, what's the hurry? When we have this thing done," he gestured with his hand to the pile on the table, "we will have all the time in the world. Right now I miss my wife."

"I agree I haven't been out in awhile. Does this place have wine?" Laura smirked.

"That's my girl," Marty said putting his arm around her shoulders.


	27. Chapter 27

CHATPER FOUR – THE FUTURE HASN'T BEEN WRITTEN YET

The sound of a phone ringing off in the distance echoed in Marty's dreams. He stretched and shook himself awake before he realized the phone wasn't a dream. He reached down on the floor which had turned into a laundry basket and searched for the source of the sound. He grabbed the receiver and hastily put it to his ear.

"Hello?" he said huskily.

"Marty? Chuck here, you know how you said that Laura's birthday is coming up? Well I got the surprise of a lifetime. You remember how Doc said he got that dog of his from that farm out in the country?"

"Yeah?" Marty yawned still not making any connection.

"Well it's a long story but I was out there today and they had a sign, and well, I am on my way over you just got to check this out man!"

"You are on your way now?"

"Yeah I am just leaving my apartment, get some clothes on and meet me outside."

Marty looked down at himself. How did Chuck know he was still in bed? No matter, Marty got up, brushed his teeth and threw on a pair of jeans and an old Van Halen t-shirt that looked clean but probably wasn't. "Laundry was going to need to be another priority soon," he thought to himself as he tripped over one of Laura's bras on the floor.

Marty stepped out into the sun and blinked fiercely. He reached inside the door and pulled a pair of sunglasses from his coat pocket. Chuck pulled up in a red truck and got out looking in the back before running over to Marty.

"Hey bro, you look like Hell!" he exclaimed slapping Marty rather hard on the back.

"Just woke up, I'm alright, late night, wait you were there, how the Hell do you look so damn good?"

"Older, wiser champ!"

"Older by what a year?"

"Yeah, well I also didn't drink last night, you put quite a few back after the show."

"Yeah, don't remind me. So what's the big deal? Laura's birthday isn't for another month, and I will try to ignore the fact you buying gifts for my wife isn't a bit weird."

"I didn't buy anything, and you can say it was from you, and if you don't like it, I will take it," Chuck smiled oddly.

"OK, ok, show me."

Chuck ran to the back of the truck and pulled out a grey and white ball of fluff. It whimpered in his arms as he walked over to Marty. Marty was rubbing the bridge of his nose when the ball was thrust into his arms. He looked down into a pair of deep brown eyes. The ball wriggled in his arms and licked his neck.

"A puppy?" Marty looked at Chuck.

"Not just any puppy, you know your Doc and his dog, Edison?"

"Einstein?" Marty corrected, not able to remove his eyes from the pup.

"Well this is like his cousin."

"Are you sure Chuck?" Marty said holding the puppy against his chest as it squirmed.

"Yeah, I mean I saw this free puppies sign and you know me and dogs. So I pulled in the drive and saw them and was asking just the general questions. I wanted to make sure I wasn't getting an idiot. Then they said they gave a puppy to a scientist in town around 10 years ago. Said the scientist was a little odd, but a nice fella, and kept in touch the first few years. Said the dog was great, and if we ever needed a reference this man would give them one. I asked his name and they said Emmet Brown. That's Doc isn't it? I mean what are the odds?"

"Chuck, do you know what you have done?"

"Something good I hope."

"Ah man this is fantastic; Laur will be over the moon!"

"She is a relative of the Doc isn't she?"

"Yeah distant cousins or something," Marty mumbled quickly.

"Well enjoy, I gotta get moving, let me know how it goes," Chuck smiled walking back towards his truck and backing out of the drive.

Marty set the puppy down who ran across the lawn, peed in the bushes and then ran back, sat in front of Marty and chewed on its rear end. Marty chuckled to himself as he scooped the small dog up.

"So you're related to the great Einstein huh?"

The puppy stared back confused.

"You have big shoes to fill kid."

Marty checked his watch, he had just a couple of hours before Laura would be home from work and set to work cleaning what was left of their living area. He started a load of laundry, did all the dishes, took out the trash, and vacuumed all the floors. He packed up all the small parts into boxes which had taken over every free table and counter space and set them on the seats of the Delorean. He worked quickly and slowly their living area became habitable again. He checked the fridge but he had failed to get groceries yet again and Laura just didn't have time. He took out a beer and poured a glass of wine for Laura sitting it on the newly found table. He pulled dishes from the cupboards and lastly, grabbed a Chinese delivery menu from the fridge and dialled the number. The junior version of Einstein sat on the carpet and watched as his master worked himself into a state of frenzy. He scratched his ear with his back foot and yawned in response.

"Now what do you with you?" Marty spoke to the puppy, "We have to do something special, think McFly, think!"

"Talking to yourself again?" Laura said closing the door behind her.

"Not exactly," Marty mumbled as the ball of fur ran across the floor barking to his mistress.

"And who is this cute little fella?" Laura asked, scooping the puppy into her arms.

"Ennie Junior."

"Pardon?"

"It's a long story, I have ordered Chinese, and I will tell you the whole thing over dinner."

"A dog, Marty are you sure?" Laura asked as she absently fed shrimp to the puppy on the floor while Marty cleared the dishes.

"When Chuck told me the story I couldn't just say no."

"But we are so cramped, and is it safe for a puppy to be running around with all this equipment?"

"Well how do you think Doc did it?"

Laura smiled and picked the puppy into her lap, "Junior huh? We need to ask daddy about this name he picked out for you."

The puppy barked in response, and Marty smiled proudly at the sink. Laura had just called him "daddy." He may not be a real daddy but for right now this was good enough.


	28. Chapter 28

CHATPER FIVE – DO SOMETHING TODAY THAT YOUR FUTURE SELF WILL THANK YOU FOR

Marty woke the next morning to Laura towering over him.

"Your 'junior' ate a pair of my work shoes and peed on the floor. I am late for work, clean it up, and those shoes, they were from my New York years, you don't even want to know how much they cost!"

"What?" Marty yawned.

"Sort it out! Dog, peed, and I need new shoes. I will be home late I have a meeting with Stanford."

"Stanford?"

"Mr. Strictland."

"Since when did you become first names with Strictland?" Marty said holding the puppy in his lap and sitting up.

"Don't change the subject, clean up after the dog and then tonight we have to get back to work on the Delorean," Laura said over her shoulder storming out.

"Well there goes the romantic mood from last night, and the hope of morning sex. You can't keep eating her shoes, or I will never get laid again!" Marty smiled at the puppy.

After coming in from a brief walk with the new pup, Marty cleaned up the mess and fixed both of them breakfast. He took a look at the blue prints and read through the directions outlined in Laura's composition book. It all looked pretty straight forward, more or less like wiring a car stereo, again it was all electrical. He caught a look of himself in the mirror, t-shirt and jeans, puppy under his arm, when did he become such a bum?

Marty had thought about getting a real job, but secretly he hoped he would get another chance to make it big as a rock star. When he left and his band came home everyone was very understanding. He had a wife and a family to take care of. When Marty started gigging locally he developed a following, even scouts from LA would show up from time to time. Chuck told Marty he'd bounce back and this was all just a waiting game, another contract would come, but it had been six months now, and still nothing. Fewer people came to the shows and the Pinheads drew less attention. At one point Marty encouraged his friends to try alone, but without Marty as the lead singer they knew there was little to no point.

He set the puppy down and picked up the tool box near the Delorean.

"For just a couple of hours I need you to not chew on anything or Laura will kill me, do you understand?"

The small pup cocked its head and stared back at Marty.

Marty wiped the sweat from his brow. Junior dazed quietly on a blanket in the corner. He stuck his head in the Delorean and looked at the dash. Everything was fitted into place, just as he remembered it. He looked at the back where the flux capacitor was mounted. He vacuumed the inside and packed up all the tools. On either side laid the components needing fitted for the outside. That could wait one more day. When he looked at everything together, it was possible to get it done by the end of the week providing it started. Luckily Laura's model didn't have the starter issues Doc's Delorean had. In the past Laura always took it to a mechanic to ensure all parts were working correctly. Now, they would have to learn to do these repairs themselves, there is no way a mechanic would touch the engine on this thing with all the modifications in place.

Marty grabbed the keys to his truck off of the hook on the wall. He scooped up the pup and dropped him in the cab of the truck through the passenger window. Marty drove them to the grocery store, where it felt like it had been weeks since he was there last, and loaded the cart. On the way home he passed by the Statler dealership where a used Delorean on the lot caught his eye. He drove into the lot and looked at the car while a salesman pulled at the collar of his horribly multicoloured jacket, and approached Marty.

"It's a beauty! Only 20,000 miles on it and looks like brand new, not a scratch."

"Yeah," Marty laughed.

"Care to take it for a test drive?"

"Huh? No, I don't want to buy it, truth is the wife and I have one at home, I was wondering would you by chance have a spare manual for one of these laying around?"

"We don't have anything 'laying around' son, everything here comes at a price."

"Ok, how much for a manual?"

"$10, let me see if I have one."

The salesmen went back into the office while Marty scratched Junior's head through the open window. The salesman opened a large box and inside was a pile of DMC manuals.

"Here you go sonny, last one left!"

"Great, $10 you said? Here you go, thanks!"

Marty unloaded the truck as the puppy chased around his feet. The room still smelled of hot solder but at least the Delorean was near completion. He hoped the smell of Laura's favourite meal would counteract the smell of burning metal. As Marty worked on the chicken fajitas, while Junior curled up in the corner for a short nap. In the next couple of hours Laura arrived home to complete the happy family scene.

She walked in, her bag slung over her shoulder, and circles under her eyes. Her eyes only widened to the scene of Marty cooking dinner, and a faint smile crossed her lips.

"You're a good man Charlie Brown," Laura smiled letting her bag slump to the floor.

"I have a surprise for you," Marty smiled.

Grabbing her hand he lead Laura over to the Delorean where she peeked her head inside.

"Marty, I don't know what to say? This is fantastic!"

Laura stood taking the Delorean in while Marty reappeared with a glass of wine for Laura and a beer for himself. He smiled in pride and lazily Junior joined him at his feet.

"Your favourite meal is cooking, we cleaned the lab, bought groceries, and now if all you want to do is take a hot shower and relax you are welcome to it," Marty smiled triumphantly.

"What did I do to get a husband like you?"

"You were born into a time travelling family," Marty growled nuzzling her neck.

Laura turned to face him and planted a warm kiss on his lips. His hands engulfed her waist and pulled her tight against his body. Even through the most difficult times their love always managed to bubble back to the surface. Marty felt that familiar stir in his stomach every time they touched as he tried to pull her closer.

"Marty, I can't get any closer to you," Laura laughed gasping for breath.

"Not true," Marty smiled back pulling her towards the bed.

Junior sat at the base of the stove barking as smoke started to rise from the chicken.

"Shit!" Marty exclaimed stopping immediately and bounding over to the stove.

"I'm taking a shower!" Laura shouted after him, walking casually into the bathroom.

From the kitchen Marty heard the water kick on. He looked down at Junior and couldn't help but be a little amazed. The dog actually warned them of the burning food. Junior sat calmly on the tile floor his tail wagging wildly. Marty watched closely and for a moment he swore he saw the dog wink back at him.


	29. Chapter 29

CHAPTER SIX – THE BEST WAY TO PREDICT THE FUTURE IS TO CREATE IT

Marty was just setting the table as Laura emerged from the bathroom, towel on her head, baggy t-shirt and leggings looking very fresh and relaxed. She paused once more by the Delorean and peered through the window.

"You know Marty; really apart from the outside we are almost done. We could probably have it finished by this weekend and all troubles aside maybe take it for a spin next week?"

"Spin as in travel, as in 'travel' travel?"

"Spin as in time travel," Laura said with a wide grin.

"I suppose we will need to find a nice quiet night?"

"Night?"

"Well going out in this thing in the day time will be hard to explain don't you think?"

"What would Doc do?"

"Take it out in the daylight, but the whole town thought he was crazy," Marty laughed. "He even flew it here in the daylight," Marty said more to himself thinking of that afternoon in 1985 when he, Jennifer, Doc and Ennie climbed aboard and departed to October 21, 2015.

"Wait it flew? Like the train? You didn't tell me that?!"

"Yeah Doc had the hover conversion done in the early 21st century."

"Hover conversion?"

"Yeah it was this mechanism that converted old cars to the modern ones. All the cars flew in the future, in fact Goldie Wilson's grandson is the one who will develop and market the technology. The cost was a bit steep if I recall, but you know Doc, he was never concerned about money. I thought I mentioned all of this to you before?"

Laura stared back in disbelief.

"Ok maybe not," Marty smiled coyly.

"I know where our first stop will be!"

"You don't even like to fly!"

"Who cares!" Laura smiled slipping her arms around Marty's waist, "A flying Delorean, can you imagine?"

"Yeah Laur, I can," Marty said burying his face in her hair.

By the end of the week Marty and Laura could be proud of their work. They stood hand in hand, covered in dirt and muck but the Delorean was finished. It looked exactly like Doc's, and they would have dared anyone to find a physical difference, but whether or not the machine could travel through time was yet to be seen. The hardest part was fitting Mr. Fusion. As this was not something created by Doc but instead purchased it took time for the two of them to figure out how this machine converted garbage into fuel. Luckily Laura still had some contacts in the science departments at some rather prominent New York universities. By chance she came across a young scientist by the name of Fusion, who had been toying with the idea of this technology for years, but had not worked out all the kinks. After hours on the phone and hundreds of dollars in long distance phone calls, the three of them were able to come up with some answers. Fusion didn't know these two kids in California were actually going to build a prototype, and only gave the information based solely on hypothetical research, still he felt they had made some maybe breakthroughs.

"Well we may have just invented Mr. Fusion a few decades early," Laura laughed after putting down the receiver between herself and Dr. Fusion for what would be the last time.

Junior sat at their feet while they admired the finished product, it had only been a few weeks since Chuck first brought him home, but already it appeared he had grown a couple of inches and put on a few pounds. Soon enough he was going to prove to be a very big dog.

"Well now what?" Marty asked looking expectantly at Laura.

"How do you mean?"

"Well do we test it, or just get in or?"

"Or?" Laura said eyeing Junior on the floor.

"Oh, you can't! That's animal abuse!"

"Marty, we watched Doc's video a hundred times, and look what I found!" Laura smiled coyly pulling the remote control out of a box beside the Delorean.

"Oh you can't be serious. Is that thing hooked up to the ...?"

Laura nodded slowly.

"When?"

"Oh last week, one night when you were out, look it doesn't matter, thing is it is going to work, it's perfectly safe!"

"And if it's not? Then you are going to disintegrate the dog!"

"Oh Marty, will you relax? No one is getting 'disintegrated!'"

Neither Marty nor Laura could sleep that night. This was going to be different than the last time. Marty had been asleep and woken by Doc's frantic call asking him to swing by the lab to pick up some equipment worried Marty had forgotten and in fact had slept, no this time they would be prepared. Around midnight the two of them drove the Delorean quietly down the darkened streets. The puppy, rather large by puppy standards these days was tucked away in the back seat. Laura held a cup of coffee in her hands, and Marty balanced an open Diet Pepsi between his legs. They hadn't driven the Delorean in months and had forgotten how much the old machine was missed.

Marty pulled into the Lone Pine Mall parking lot and cut the engine. He let Junior out to run around the parking lot while the two of them sat in the car looking at the controls. Laura had a clipboard in her lap and a pen. She gazed out into the cool night and took another sip out of her coffee. Marty took her other hand in his and squeezed it, bringing her focus back to the present.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked.

"Doc."

"Yeah?"

"Would he be happy we are doing this?"

"I don't know Laur, I would like to think so, but he was so cautious about time travel."

"We'll be careful."

"So was Doc, and you saw what happened."

"Yeah, I am thinking going back into the past is probably not a good idea."

"And tampering with the future is?"

"At least the future can be changed, more of an open play ground really."

"Yeah I suppose."

Marty heard Junior whining by the door.

"Come on, let's get this done, you ready?" he asked.

"Yeah," Laura said tucking her clip board under her arm.

"Remote?"

"Check."

"Stop watch one?"

"Check."

"Stop watch two?"

"Check."

"Ok, we are ready."

Laura scooped up Junior and placed him in the car and secured a seat belt around his fluffy coat. Marty set the time circuits; he turned over his shoulder to Laura.

"Laur what is the date?"

"October 26, 1988, 1:21 AM," as soon as the date slipped from her mouth she covered her lips with her hand, this hadn't been planned.

"I just got a chill," Marty said running a quick shake through his body.

"Yeah me too, you know what this means?"

"We forgot your birthday, and I am a horrible husband?"

"Well, I forgot too," Laura laughed, "so I will forgive it this time, but it means there must be something about this date linked to time travel after all. The last few years we planned things around the dates and times, but this was purely by chance. I have a good feeling about this experiment, we are going to have success, quick set the time circuits, I have the watches synced."

Quickly Laura slipped the watch around the puppy and grabbed the controls and clip board shutting the gull wing down and taking several steps back. Simultaneously Marty plugged in the numbers on the circuit board and shut the driver's side door. Laura handed Marty the controls and smiled.

"One minute into the future, good luck Junior!"


	30. Chapter 30

CHATPER SEVEN – THE FUTURE DEPENDS ON WHAT WE DO IN THE PRESENT

As Marty pressed the controls on the pad the Delorean shot off to the end of the parking lot where he revved the tires on the pavement. Unfortunately he was not as confident as Doc had been and made sure as the Delorean's speedometer raised dangerously close to 88 miles per hour, he pointed the machine away from himself and Laura.

Marty released the machine, his eyes darting eagerly from side to side. Laura clamped on to his arm and closed one of her eyes tightly. The Delorean shot across the parking lot and Marty was the first to smile as he recognized the sound of the three sonic booms before the Delorean disappeared in a trail of fire. Laura opened her eyes widely and grabbed Marty. He clasped his arms around his wife and kissed her warmly. They had done it, phase one was complete, for all intensive purposes they had sent Junior one minute into the future. If he returned and caught up to them in the present, they will know it had been a success.

It was the longest minute in their lives as they stood waiting to see if their machine and beloved puppy would materialize. Laura had calculated where the machine would appear and ensured they were a safe distance away. The three sonic booms once again echoed in the distance and again the car reappeared covered in frost. Laura and Marty pulled on heavy leather gloves and walked cautiously towards the machine. Marty wrenched open the door and the two of them eagerly peered inside.

There was Junior, tongue hanging out, looking happy as a clam. Marty grabbed the puppy up in his arms and carried him away from the car.

"Wait his watch! Check his watch!" Laura shouted scrambling after them.

"1:23 AM, what does yours say?"

"1:22 AM! We did it! We did it!""

Marty sat the puppy down who ran around and barked at their feet. Marty pulled Laura to him and they danced around in a circle. The watch had confirmed it, Junior had travelled one minute into the future and met them back on the other side. Marty checked the time circuits again, and true to form under present time it read October 26, 1988 1:27 AM and the clock was still counting. Under departed it read October 26, 1998 1:21 AM.

The frost the melted from the exterior of the car in the autumn air and pooled in small puddles on the floor. The three of them climbed into the car and drove off into the night. Surprisingly they were silent the entire drive home. Marty took Junior out one last time for bed as Laura was pulling a warm mug of coffee out of the microwave.

"You feeling ok?" he asked her?

"Just in shock I suppose," she smiled weakly as Junior placed his paw on her foot.

"Come here boy!" Marty cooed to the dog.

"Must we call him Junior?" she asked.

"We just made a major scientific breakthrough regarding time travel and you are going on about the dog's name?"

"Silly isn't it?"

"Well Chuck wanted to call him Edison," Marty laughed under his breath.

Together the two of them looked at row of framed scientists that Marty had insisted they leave above the fireplace. Right in the middle was a picture of Thomas Edison.

"You know, back when I was in 1955, Doc, not my Doc, but the Doc from 1955 had a major freak out when he found out the Delorean needed 1.21 gigawatts to power the time circuits. When I told him it was nuclear powered he went into a rant and left the house, I found him here in this exact spot holding that photo talking to 'Tom' about how he felt his future self had been so 'careless'."

"I suppose in a way Edison seems fitting doesn't it?"

"What do you think?" Marty said looking down at the puppy that was looking back and forth between the two of them, "Edison?"

Edison barked in response.

"Nuclear," Laura sighed.

"Yeah, crazy huh? Doc even went as far as to buy the stuff on the black market, about got himself killed over the deal when the Libyan terrorists showed up. I was at the mall that night he was shot, if I hadn't written that letter, well..." Marty found it difficult to continue.

"It's ok, all that is in the past now, for good. No more terrorists, or shootings, or death. We are in a good place; things can only go up from here."

Laura seemed confident but Marty couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of dread. Somehow what he had witnessed tonight hit too close to home and all the anxiety he had worked so hard to control came flooding back. He tried to shake it off long after Laura had fallen asleep, but every time he closed his eyes the vision of the runaway train and himself trapped in the Delorean cropped into view. Marty was still awake as Laura readied for work.

"Are you sure you are ok? You look a bit peaky," Laura said touching Marty's forehead.

"Yeah I just didn't sleep all the excitement I suppose."

"Right! I was thinking about that and now that we know it works, I think you and I ought to take a trip tonight."

"Tonight?" Marty croaked.

"Sure, something safe, like a year into the future, what do you say?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever you want Laur."

"Great, we'll talk more when I get home, I love you!"

"I love you too."

Marty threw himself down on the bed. He didn't think about getting in the machine quite so soon. He eyed the Delorean across the room. He knew the right thing to do was be honest, but he also knew he needed to man up at some point. He clipped the lead to Edison's collar and the two started on a brief walk around the neighbourhood. By the time they got back he had relaxed a little.

The worst part about time travel had been spending seemingly endless days in the same dirty clothes. No money, no bed, no place to relax. It would be different this time; they would plan it like a proper vacation.

He took his old red backpack out from under the bed and started to survey the room. A lot of items of value had been sold in order to make ends meet over the last few years as well as financing the changes to the Delorean. Marty couldn't help but shake this feeling of dread; if they travelled tonight he would never see his beloved lab again. It was then something came over Marty. He walked through the lab and started taking anything that had belonged to Doc and packed it tightly in a box. Soon he had about five boxes in total filled with things which had belonged to the three of them. He packed the boxes in his truck and drove them over to his parents.

George and Lorraine were out, but Linda was home.

"Hey Linda, I can't really stay, but can I leave the truck here, we are doing some remodelling at the house and I need to leave a few things here?"

"Sure Marty," Linda said with a puzzled expression as her brother threw his skateboard on the ground and tore off in the general direction of the lab.

"What got into him?" Dave asked as Linda shut the door behind her.

"No idea, but you know how he is, mind you I haven't seen him acting this strangely since before the Doc disappeared."

"Yeah did they ever find out what happened there?"

"No, I heard he fled to Mexico after they linked him to the plutonium theft, luckily Marty wasn't implicated or even questioned."

"Yeah, that was a lucky break; still I wonder what the kid is up to?" Dave muttered before walking back inside.


	31. Chapter 31

CHAPTER EIGHT - YOU REALIZE THAT OUR MISTRUST OF THE FUTURE MAKES IT HARD TO GIVE UP THE PAST

Laura found the lab rather sparse when she arrived home. All of her expensive clothes, jewels, accessories were cleared from the wardrobe. Everything belonging to Doc was gone; all the pictures including the one of Doc and Marty were missing. She found two suit cases near the entrance to the Delorean and Marty's truck was missing from the driveway. Internally she questioned if Marty had finally snapped, or maybe he was leaving her? Maybe he decided being married wasn't all that it was cracked up to be?

"Marty? Marty are you home?"

"Yeah I am here," he said appearing from behind her with Edison on his lead, "we just came back from another walk," Marty said casually kissing her cheek as if nothing was wrong.

"Marty where is ... everything?"

"Ah well, I figured if we were going to be travelling I would seal up the lab for a bit you know?"

"Marty we won't technically even be gone a minute."

"I know, but what if something goes wrong and we can't get back right away besides I just want to make sure everything is safe. Last time I wasn't supposed to be gone at all and I was stuck a week in the past, then a day in the future, another day in an alternate universe, another few days in 1955, a week in 1885, and then you are I were gone almost ten days when we last saw Doc. And what if something has changed while we are gone? I just feel better knowing anything of value is out of here. What if we were spotted the other night in the mall, what if the terrorists are still lurking about?"

"Ok," Laura smiled and put her hand to Marty's cheek before kissing him warmly.

Marty expelled a sigh of relief. She didn't argue, she just motioned towards her bag and checked the contents to ensure Marty packed everything she would need and then started their dinner as normal. He couldn't believe how he had ended up with someone who understood him so well.

After dinner the two of them carried out that night's preparations. Laura helped Marty double check that every last item of value had been taken to his parent's house. She worked through his anxiety flawlessly, even though she found it a little ridiculous to have such a large suitcase for such a short trip. Given the last time travel experience they had together in the Old West Laura was grateful she would have clothes to change in to just in case something was to happen to her. Hopefully not involving more run ins with the Tannen clan.

Around midnight the three of them set out together, luggage packed and Edison poking his head between the seats from the back of the car. They drove back to the location of the mall. Laura sat in the passenger side giving complete trust to her husband.

"One year?" Marty questioned his hands lingering over the time circuits.

"Let's go one year to the same time, we will arrive, drive around a little and then come back. Make it a short trip to know it is safe. And if we stay here we know we won't hit anything."

"What about a parked car?"

"Well where do you recommend we go?"

"On the other side of that Hilldale development there is an empty stretch of road, the construction on those homes was stopped due to their being a water main under the road they didn't know about. They are supposed to get city planning approval for it but the Hill Valley Council said that could take up to two years. We know for sure the road will be untouched and it will give us enough road to get up to 88."

Laura turned impressed by her husband, "How did you ever find out about all this?"

"I heard it on the news the other day, when they mentioned Hilldale. I was curious."

"Do you still want to live there?"

"No, this future is much better," Marty said kissing his wife before turning the car around and leaving the parking lot.

Marty parked the Delorean at the end of the street. He revved the engine and peeled down the stretch of road.

 _45..50..60..75..77..80..82..85..86..87..flash..boom...boom..boom 88 MPH_

When Laura opened her eyes everything looked much the same as how they left it. Edison was drooling happily, and Marty's hands were shaking on the steering wheel as he looked around. It was dark, and the time circuits read October 27th 1989 1:48 AM.

"Are we here? Did we make it?" Laura asked quietly.

"I think so, it doesn't look different."

"No I don't suppose it would, let's drive around a bit, load up Mr. Fusion and get out of here before we are noticed."

"Yeah," Marty said absently, "Want to check out the lab, see if we are home?"

"Don't you think that is risky?"

"We will just do a drive by."

Marty turned down John F Kennedy Drive. The Burger King was there, dark and closed for the night, but across only sat a vacant lot. No mailbox, no sign a building had ever been there, just a regular vacant lot.

"Where's the lab?" Marty started to panic, "Laur? Laur where is it?"

"I don't know Marty, maybe we moved?"

"Moved? In a year's time? And took the building with us?"

"Maybe someone offered money for it? We were cutting it close. I don't know Marty, I just don't know."

"Well where did we go? Are we ok? Did we die?!"

"Marty! Stop it! No one died."

"How do you know?"

"I don't ok, but just stop talking about it!"

"How can I our home is gone?!"

"Ok don't panic, let's keep doing some snooping, keep driving around, go to your parent's house, maybe there will be something there that will tell us."

Marty drove all through Hill Valley but everything looked the same, exactly how they had left it. Lastly he drove by the McFly house in Lyon Estates, and apart from his truck now missing from the driveway, nothing had changed. It was puzzling, where did the lab go? What happened in the past year that brought them here, and more importantly, where did the present day Marty and Laura go? Marty wanted to check out the cemeteries but finally after driving Laura to burst into hysterics he dropped the idea entirely, loaded up Mr. Fusion and drove back to Hilldale.

"I want to go home," Laura sobbed.

"I only wanted to go to the cemetery to.."

"Find our graves!" Laura interrupted, "That is sick! I don't want to know when I am going to die, or how! Take me home right now, back to 1988."


	32. Chapter 32

CHAPTER NINE – KNOWING TOO MUCH OF YOUR FUTURE IS NEVER A GOOD THING

Laura hardly noticed the temporal displacement as they arrived back into 1988, still extremely upset that Marty immediately assumed they had died. She didn't speak to him as they left the housing development. Marty himself was still shaken by the fact their home was gone and then only firmed his suspicions about all the dread he had felt prior to this most recent trip. All of Doc's advice about time travel being dangerous flooded through his head.

The streets were wet as though it had just rained and thunder could be heard rumbling over head.

"Let's get this thing inside before we are struck by lightning, the last time that happened it did a number on the insides of the Delorean," Marty said looking up through the windshield.

Laura only folded her arms across her chest and shivered before turning her gaze out the window.

As they turned down John F Kennedy towards the home they had just left minutes before Marty noticed red and blue flashing lights surrounding an orange glow.

"Laur, what's that at our street?"

"Looks like a fire," she said squinting as misting rain started to accumulate on the windshield.

Marty turned on the wipers and started edging towards the blaze.

The lab was nothing but an inferno when they arrived. The firemen where doing their best to stop the fire but it was clear nothing inside would be salvageable.

Laura turned slowly to Marty and another shiver went down her spine, "How did you know?" she asked slowly.

"I ... I didn't," Marty stuttered.

"Anything of value you wanted out of the lab, all the packing, and frantic worry, it's like you knew."

"But I didn't, it was just a ... a feeling."

It was then a police officer pounded on the window of the Delorean, "Look folks you will need to move along, we have men trying to do a job here."

"Thank you officer but this is our house," Marty said keeping his eyes on the blaze.

"Your house? You are Marty and Laura McFly?"

Marty nodded.

"Thank God for that we thought you were maybe still inside! I will let them know, but please move away from the fire it's not safe. Guys they aren't inside! Let's get the fire put out and call it a night, no need to salvage!"

Marty and Laura stood out in the misting rain watching their home burn. Marty put his arms around Laura as a few tears streamed down her face. Edison stayed behind in the back seat of the Delorean. A fireman approached them after the blaze had been put out.

"You were lucky not to have been in there Mr. and Mrs. McFly, this building was mostly wood and rather old, it went up very quickly."

"What caused the fire?" Marty asked.

"Lightning strike, would you believe it?"

Marty and Laura glanced at each other.

"Wow, that's uh ... heavy."

"Do you folks have somewhere to go?"

"Yeah my parents have a place over at Lyon's Estates, we'll go to them."

"Did you have insurance at least?"

"Yeah, yeah we have insurance."

Just then a silver BMW pulled up behind the Delorean and George and Lorraine McFly got out. Lorraine ran frantically to Marty and Laura hugging them both and kissing Marty repeatedly on the cheek.

"Oh my baby, my babies you are ok, you are ok! It was all over the news about this lightning strike. You know George," Lorraine said looking at Laura, "he is up all hours and when he saw it was your home, well we rushed straight over."

Laura nodded and sobbed.

"Oh my poor dear," Lorraine said taking her in her arms, "you are soaked; let's get you back in the car."

"Marty," George said calmly, "Can I talk to you son?"

"Dad this really isn't the time..."

"The truck Marty, Linda said you were cleaning out the lab, did you set this fire?"

"Dad!"

"I know you are hard up for cash and well..."

"Dad it was lightning, there was a storm, the firemen said so, just drop it."

"Do you have insurance?"

"I honestly don't know, Laura would know, but now is really not the time to ask her."

"George!" Lorraine called, "I am taking Laura to the house."

"Come on Dad, you can ride back with me and Edison."

"Edison?"

"Our dog," Marty said thumbing to the rather excited puppy in the back.

"Not to be rude son but what the Hell did you do to this car?"

"Oh that, uh, it was Laura, they were using it as a chemistry experiment, trying to see if they could convert the engine to run on water or something."

"Did it work?"

"Ah, no, but I think they are still working on it, thus all the equipment everywhere?"

"And all the clocks and dials and gages? It's like NASA in here Marty!"

"Yeah they are to monitor fluid levels and stuff, you will have to ask Laura, but not tonight Dad, let's do this in the morning ok?"

George nodded and let the subject drop, at least for now.

Marty hadn't woken up in his childhood bed in years, and the only other time he had ever had a girl in his bed was Jennifer and she certainly didn't spend the night. Marty looked at the back of Laura's blonde head dozing next to him, posters of Huey Lewis and ZZ Top still adorned the old walls. At least his parents hadn't turned his room into a gym or den ...yet. He slipped his arms around Laura and pulled her close to him. He felt her body convulse and it was then he realized she was in fact awake and crying.

"Hey, hey, come now, it's not the end of the world," he breathed into her ear.

"It was our home."

"We will find a new one."

"How?"

"Insurance?"

"There was no insurance Marty."

"I wondered," he sighed.

"I messed up, and I knew better," Laura sobbed bitterly.

"Oh come on Laur; let's not make a big deal out of this. We salvaged everything we need, we are warm, and dry, and safe, and we have the time machine," Marty said pulling Laura into his chest.

"The time machine..." Laura trailed off.


	33. Chapter 33

CHAPTER TEN – THOSE WHO DO NOT LEARN FROM THE FUTURE ARE DOOMED TO REPEAT IT

Laura was on the phone with the school and Stanford for the better part of the afternoon. She sat hunched over on the sectional in the McFly living room while the rest of the family tried to give her privacy. They had decided not to tell Marty's family they had no insurance, and Stanford was kind enough to tell Laura to take at least the next week off until they got their affairs in order. They would find a substitute teacher in the mean time.

Laura sat down the receiver and braved a smile as Marty and George were talking quite intently over the dining room table.

"Dad was just asking about the equipment on the Delorean and I was telling him what I knew about your experiment to run the car on water," Marty said nervously.

"Oh yeah, right, the kids wanted to try it, it doesn't work of course but the equipment looks pretty snazzy."

"I think you ruined your car," George said rather curtly.

"I am sure you do George, but you aren't a scientist, you are a writer, and you of all people should respect a person's imagination," 'that shut him up' Laura thought.

Marty sighed over the tension and passed Laura a cup of coffee. He got another Pepsi from the fridge and joined them.

"George, do stop giving Marty and Laura a hard time, you kids stay here as long as you need to."

"Thank you Lorraine, but I think we will be moving on sooner than planned, that job offer from New York finally came through. They would like me to start next week, and so we should really talk about our next steps."

It took a few minutes for Marty to cop on, "Right Laur, that is great news!"

"What job offer in New York, Marty you never mentioned this before?" Lorraine seemed nervous.

"Yeah son, that is clear across the country!" George seemed surprised.

"Laura is from New York and we had talked about going back there," Marty said jumping to his wife's defence, "I think Edison needs to go out, coming Laura?"

"Right behind you."

As the two left George and Lorraine sat stunned at the table.

"First the Doc disappears, then this kid of ours moves out doesn't say anything, meets a mystery girl, marries her without so much as an invite, their house burns to the ground not even 24 hours ago, and now moving to New York. What has gotten into this kid?" George ranted.

"Marty is a young man now George, we have to trust he is going to be making the right decisions, and people come and go, remember our friend Calvin? He disappeared, and no one thought that was strange."

"Oh come on Lorraine, we all thought that was strange, especially Biff."

"What about me?" Biff asking coming in wiping his hands on a towel.

"Oh you remember Calvin from High School?"

"Yeah I remember Calvin, butthead destroyed my car!"

"Whatever happened to him?"

"No idea, but I heard he went off to be a fashion designer," Biff shrugged, "Ok, well I am out of here Mr. McFly, tell Marty and Laura I am sorry to hear about their house."

"We will Biff thank you!" Lorraine said putting her hand gently on his arm and walking him to the door.

Biff looked back at her, love still lingering in his eyes, if only things had worked out differently.

Marty and Laura were half way down the block with Edison pulling on his lead and sniffing every fire hydrant.

"So what is this about New York?" Marty asked after they were a safe distance from the house.

"Well I got to thinking this morning, you are right, we have the time machine, let's sign the truck back over to your parents and let's just leave. Pick a time and place and let's get the Hell out of here. What does Hill Valley really have left for us now?"

"Spend the remainder of our lives being time travellers? Laura it's a Delorean not a Tardis and I am far from Doctor Who, where will we sleep at night? How will we make ends meet?"

"We are resourceful, we will figure it out, come on Marty what do you say?"

"Doc would say it is dangerous."

"Doc would have told us not to build the thing to begin with."

The two of them smiled.

"I say we go back to the house, go through all that junk in your truck, limit ourselves to a couple suitcases each and see where the world takes us," Laura said triumphantly.

"And your job?"

"I have a week to decide, and if this isn't going to work, we can always come back."

"Alright, but let's do it properly this time, tie up all our loose ends, I want to say my good byes to my friends, and I think we should leave a note for Doc."

The two returned to the house and lingered by the truck before going back inside. Laura pulled the five boxes out of the back and started to go through their contents. Dresses to formal balls, expensive shoes, they all seemed pointless now. She emptied one box and then started tossing things back in again. It would all go to charity she needed only a few things. Marty pulled out his skateboard and his guitar with its lead but decided against his amp (assuming they could find one wherever they ended up, if the technology was still compatible) and carefully placed all of it in the Delorean. They each took a large suitcase and loaded it with their clothes. Marty filled his backpack with a few personal items and Laura did the same with her messenger bag. The only box that was left was things that belonged to Doc, a few photos, journals, and parts for the Delorean. Laura insisted they keep it all, after all if something were to break they would be in a desperate state to fix it, and these were the last possessions of Doc's Marty owned. Marty agreed with Laura's reasoning and they wedged the last little box in. Laura took Marty's truck for the last time to donate their unwanted clothes while Marty mended his relationship with his parents.

"You are leaving tomorrow?" Lorraine said in surprise.

"Well we need to be there in a couple days and it is going to take at least two days to drive straight through. Laura and I want to take our time, make a second honey moon out of it."

"What are you going to do with your truck son?" George asked casually.

"Well since you guys bought it I thought we would leave it out here."

"And you are really going to drive across country in that Delorean thing?"

"Yeah Dad why not?"

"George, let these kids have their fun," Lorraine chimed in.

Laura pulled in the drive behind the Delorean and waved to Marty.

"We'll be back for dinner, I promise Mom, and we will talk more then."

Laura traded places with Marty and together they drove to Hill Valley High School.


	34. Chapter 34

CHAPTER ELEVEN – WELL GOOD LUCK FOR BOTH OUR SAKES. SEE YOU IN THE FUTURE, OR IN THE PAST

"I sure will hate to see you go, both of you if I am honest," Strickland smiled and rocked back in his chair.

Marty stared back in amazement.

"I do wish you would reconsider college McFly, still New York has its opportunities too, and you have a good wife, maybe you will make something out of yourself yet."

"I thought you said no McFly ever amounted to anything in the history of Hill Valley?"

"A young man once told me 'history could change.'"

The two exchanged looks and smiled. Laura squeezed Marty's hand under the table.

"I'll keep in touch, and I know you will find a suitable replacement. I am terribly sorry this is such short notice but after losing so much in the fire, and well this job coming when it did, it's time to go," Laura explained.

"As though it were your destiny," Strictland replied.

"If you like," Laura smiled back.

Marty hugged Chuck and the other Pinheads on the steps of Chuck's apartment.

"Bro we had some good times, good times," Chuck laughed gripping Marty hard on the shoulder.

"I'm going to miss you guys," Marty smiled back.

"You have to do what is right by your family now. And you take care of Laura, if you don't I may marry her."

"Do I get a say in this at all?" Laura asked.

"It's getting late, we need to get going, I told Mom we'd be back for dinner. We leave tomorrow early."

One more stop, one more good bye:

 _Doc,_

 _By the time you get this message we won't be here. I would tell you where we are going but it's not a matter of a where, but more of a when. I only hope that you will be proud of what Laura and I have accomplished. I hope to see you in the future, or maybe the past._

 _You're Friend in Time_

 _Marty_

Marty folded the paper and stuck in neatly in the vase on the head stone. Marty and Laura held hands as they walked back to the truck. She turned around and surveyed the view one last time.

"I'd like to see the look on his face when he reads this," Laura laughed under her breath.

"Yeah me too," Marty half smiled.

Dinner that night was like any other family affair. George, Lorraine, Linda, Linda's boyfriend and Dave joined Marty and Laura to say good bye. Lorraine cooked Marty's favourite meal and wine was served. Marty drank alongside Laura and no one said anything about the fact he wasn't quite yet 21. Around midnight the rest of the family went to bed leaving Laura and Marty alone. She laid her head on his chest in the living room darkness and cuddled up next to him.

"It's going to be just you and me for awhile now, and living out of a car," she whispered.

"I know."

"You think you can handle that?"

"I can if you can."

She smiled in the darkness.

"We should make a move if we are going," Marty whispered running his fingers over her hand.

"Ten more minutes?"

He looked down and kissed her.

The air was crisp as the two left the McFly house for the last time. Marty and Laura pushed the Delorean out into the street. It was a little after one o'clock in the morning. Marty left a note to his folks and stuck it to the refrigerator. The same fridge that for the last 20 years held Marty's report cards, drawings, and even the first song he had ever written. He felt bad leaving like this but it was the only way to get the Delorean out unobserved.

 _Mom & Dad,_

 _I don't like long goodbyes. Last night was great, it really was but we want to get an early start. I love you both, and we will check in soon._

 _Love Marty & Laura_

Marty hopped in the driver's seat, Edison was crammed in the back, and lastly Laura was at his side. He turned to face her and stared for a moment before she interrupted his thoughts.

"Well Mr. McFly?"

"I can't believe we are doing this."

"We will be time nomads now."

"I kind of like the idea of that."

"You know I do too."

"I couldn't have done this without you?"

"I wouldn't have wanted to."

"I love you, you know?"

"I love you too."

Marty leaned forward and kissed his wife one more time. His hands wrapped around her back as he tried to pull her across the seat closer to him. Marty lost all since of time. Edison stuck his face between then and gave the side of Marty's face a slobbery kiss.

"Aw man, Ed, come on boy."

"He felt left out," Laura laughed.

The two drove quietly to the edge of the Hilldale development.

"Well this is it, time circuits on," Marty declared with a deep breath.

"Where are we going? Back to the Future?"

"It's the only way to fly."

At the end of a long street at the edge of a building site known as Hilldale, in a town called Hill Valley, in the state of California in the year 1988 a Delorean could be seen speeding off into the distance. The car glimmered sliver in the moonlight as it cut through the crisp early morning air. A series of sparks crossed the front end soon engulfing the entire car. Three sonic booms echoed in the distance followed by a large flash with a trail of fire in the shape of two distinct rows the width of tire tracks left behind.

THE END

*Queue Alan Silvestri*


End file.
